Toll rises to 32 in Sikkim flash flood, search on for those still missing

Thirty-two bodies, including those of nine Armymen, have been recovered so far from the slush and debris of the flash flood in the Teesta river that devastated Sikkim, while the search continued for the over 100 people who are still missing, officials said on Sunday. The flash flood, which was triggered by a cloudburst in the early hours of Wednesday, has affected 41,870 people. So far, 2,563 people have been rescued from different areas of the state, most of which have been cut off from the rest of the country, according to the Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA).

Search was underway for 122 people who are still missing. Seventy-eight people are missing in Pakyong district, 23 in Gangtok district, 15 in Mangan and six in Namchi, it said.

Special radars, drones and Army dogs have been deployed for the search operations, officials said.


So far, 21 bodies have been recovered in Pakyong, six in Gangtok, four in Mangan and one in Namchi, they said.

National Highway 10, the lifeline of Sikkim, has been rendered unusable due to damage to the road surface and many bridges across the Teesta river. The opening and widening process of the stretch between Rangpo and Singtam is in progress, they added.

Alternative routes to the state capital Gangtok are open via the East Sikkim district. However, in North Sikkim, roads beyond Mangan are cut off, officials said.

The ITBP said that 56 people were rescued in North Sikkim's Chungthang, one of the worst affected areas in the flash flood. Among those rescued were 52 men and four women.

A total of 6,875 people have taken shelter in 30 relief camps set up across the state, most of which have been cut off from the rest of the country.

The disaster also damaged more than 1,320 houses and washed away 13 bridges in the four districts of the picturesque Himalayan state.