Page 6 - Sikkim

Death toll rises to 40 in Sikkim flash flood, 76 people still missing

The toll in the flash flood in Sikkim rose to 40 on Tuesday with two more bodies being found in the state, while 76 people are still missing about two weeks after the disaster, officials said. The flash flood in the Teesta river, triggered by a cloudburst in the early hours of October 4, devastated the state, affecting about 88,000 people. Sikkim has a population of about 6.10 lakh people, the lowest for any state in India, according to the 2011 census. Most of the bodies were found in Pakyong. Among the 26 bodies found in the district, 15 were of civilians while 11 were of Armymen, according to the Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA). Four bodies were found in Mangan, eight bodies in Gangtok and two in Namchi, it said in a bulletin. Several bodies have been found in neighbouring West Bengal as well, carried by the Teesta to the downstream areas, officials said. Of the 76 people missing, 28 were from Pakyong, 23 from Gangtok, 20 from Mangan and five from Namchi. A

Sikkim floods: 1700 evacuated, rescue operations to continue, says IAF

As per the officials, Indian Air Force's Chinook and Mi-17 V5 helicopters continue operations in the flood-affected areas of Sikkim, with the induction of over 200 personnel to boost the relief effort

Sikkim flash flood toll rises to 37, inclement weather hampers evacuation

The toll in the Sikkim flash flood has increased to 37, while 78 people remain missing six days after the deluge was triggered by a cloudburst, officials said on Wednesday. Pakyong district accounted for the largest number of fatalities at 24, including 10 army personnel, followed by seven in Gangtok, four in Mangan and two in Namchi districts, they said. Another 78 people are still missing in several towns in the Teesta river basin across the four districts that were flooded, the Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA) said. Around 6,001 people have been either rescued or evacuated from the flood-affected areas and the number of injured persons is 30, it said. The count of people affected by the natural calamity stood at 87,300. A total of 3,773 people were rendered homeless and provided shelter in 24 relief camps in the four districts, the SSDMA said. The road network of the state was severely disrupted as 16 bridges, including nine in the heavily-ravaged Mangan dist

Central team leaves for Delhi after assessing situation in flood hit Sikkim

The Inter-Ministerial Central Team led by Joint Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Anant Kishore Saran on Wednesday left for the national capital after completing the assessment of the extent of damage caused by flash floods in Sikkim, an official said. The central team members were seen off at the airport by the Relief Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Land Revenue and Disaster Management Department, Anil Raj Rai, and senior officers of the Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA). During their three-day visit, the central team was briefed by Chief Secretary V B Pathak about large-scale damage to road infrastructure, telecommunication network, displacement of people and fatalities due to flash floods in Teesta river basin areas in four districts following a cloudburst on Lhonak lake in North Sikkim on October 4. The Central team had visited the disaster-affected areas in East and North Sikkim for a first-hand information of the extent of damage inflicted by flash floods. On

Central team visits North Sikkim to assess damage caused by flash floods

The Inter-Ministerial Central Team led by Joint Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Anant Kishore Saran on Tuesday left for North Sikkim by helicopter to assess the damage caused by the flash floods in the area, an official said. The central team members - Director, Ministry of Power, RK Meena, executive engineer Ministry of Jal Shakti Sashwat Rai and director SSDMA, Prabhakar Rai - flew by helicopter from Burtuk airport for North Sikkim, he said. Mangan district in north Sikkim is the worst flood-affected district with over 30,000 people affected by the flash flood. Members of the central team on Monday visited the affected areas in Gangtok, Pakyong district. Among the areas they visited were IBM, Rangpo, ATTC-Bardang, Golitar, Singtam, Dikchu and Phidang where they assessed the damage caused to buildings, power lines, roads and bridges. The central team visited a relief camp on Monday in Majigaon and made certain recommendations for the maintenance of proper sanitation at rescue

Tragedy in Sikkim

The catastrophe underlines big dam weaknesses

Indian Air Force airlifts 149 civilians stranded in flood-hit Skikim

The airlift came after six days of Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) in South Lhonak Lake, which created havoc across the Teesta basin in Sikkim and North Bengal, said the official statement

Cabinet Secy reviews situation in Sikkim, assures support and assistance

Reviewing relief and rescue measures, the Cabinet Secretary emphasized that the evacuation of people in the shortest possible time should be the priority for the Government

Sikkim flash flood: Death toll at 34, IAF begins rescuing stranded tourists

Thirty-four bodies, including those of 10 army jawans, have been recovered so far from the slush and debris of the flash flood in Teesta river that devastated Sikkim, while the search continued for the over 105 people who are still missing, officials said on Monday. The Indian Air Force has started rescue and relief operations in the Himalayan state, airlifting the first batch of stranded tourists from Lachen to Mangan in North Sikkim. Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang held a review meeting with Chief Secretary VB Pathak, Chief of Army Staff General Manoj Pande, who has reached Gangtok, and other officials for coordinated relief and rescue operations along with armed forces. Apart from the 34 fatalities reported in Sikkim, the Jalpaiguri district administration in adjoining northern West Bengal said that 40 bodies have been fished out from downstream Teesta. However, officials warned that there might be some duplication in the toll reported by the two states. In Sikkim, Pakyong ...

IAF conducts disaster relief operations in Sikkim, starts humanitarian aid

The Indian Air Force has started humanitarian aid and disaster relief operations in Sikkim, devastated by a flash flood in Teesta river, a Defence official said on Monday. Thirty-three bodies, including those of nine army jawans, have been recovered so far from slush and debris left behind by the flash flood that devastated Sikkim, while the search continued for more than 105 people who are still missing, officials in the Himalayan state said. The Jalpaiguri district administration in adjoining northern West Bengal has said 40 bodies were fished out of the river downstream. Officials warned that the figures reported by Sikkim and West Bengal may have some duplication even as both states were keeping each other informed of their respective rescue efforts. "The IAF commenced its humanitarian aid and disaster relief operations from Air Force Station Bagdogra for the flood victims of Sikkim on the Air Force Day," the Defence official said. The air force started carrying Garud commando

Sikkim flood: 62 missing people found alive, death toll rises to 33

The toll in the flash flood in Sikkim rose to 30 as four more bodies were found on Saturday, while 62 people who were reported missing for the past three days were found alive, a government agency said here. The number of missing people thus came down to 81, the Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA) said in its latest bulletin on Saturday evening. An inter-ministerial central team will visit the flood-hit state from Sunday to assess the damage due to the natural calamity, Union minister Ajay Kumar Mishra said here. The flash flood triggered by a cloudburst in the early hours of Wednesday affected 41,870 people in four districts of the Himalayan state, with Mangan bearing the brunt of the calamity as a population of around 30,300 were hit by the disaster, it said. The other three affected districts are Gangtok, Pakyang and Namchi. Of the 30 deaths - four were in Mangan, six in Gangtok district, 19 in Pakyong and one in Namchi. The report said that the 19 deceased peop

Crisis brewing in Darjeeling's tea gardens; several owners looking to sell

In the last three years, 20 gardens have changed hands, and 90 per cent of the buyers are from non-tea background

ITBP rescues 56 civilians stranded in North Sikkim's flash flood

As many as 56 civilians stranded due to the recent flash floods were rescued by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) in North Sikkim, the officials said on Sunday

ITBP rescues 56 people in North Sikkim, search continues for those missing

Fifty-six people were rescued in North Sikkim's Chungthang, one of the worst affected areas in the flash flood, the ITBP said on Sunday. Among those rescued were 52 men and four women, it said. "In another rescue operation, 56 civilians (52 Male & 4 Female) were successfully rescued via the ropeway made by the ITBP Rescue Team in Chungthang, North Sikkim," it tweeted. The search for the 81 people who went missing in the flash flood continued. So far, 30 bodies have been found, officials said. The flash flood triggered by a cloudburst in the early hours of Wednesday affected 41,870 people in four districts of the Himalayan state, with Mangan bearing the brunt of the calamity as a population of around 30,300 was hit by the disaster, according to the Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA). The other three affected districts are Gangtok, Pakyong and Namchi. Nineteen of the deaths were reported from Pakyong, six from Gangtok district, four from Mangan, and one from Namchi,

Missing army personnel from Assam confirmed dead in Sikkim flash flood: CM

The Indian Army on Saturday said that search and rescue efforts are underway to locate and rescue the remaining 14 missing soldiers and other civilians in recent Sikkim flash floods.Indian Army also expressed condolences over the loss of eight jawans in recent flash floods triggered by a cloudburst in Sikkim.The Army in a statement said that Army Chief General Manoj Pande and all ranks of the Indian Army express heartfelt condolences on the sad demise of eight Indian Army soldiers in the unfortunate incident of flash floods arising out of a glacial lake burst in Sikkim."We stand firm with the bereaved families in this hour of grief. COAS and all ranks Indian Army also expressed grief at the loss of civilian lives in this tragic incident,' it said."Concerted search and rescue efforts are ongoing to locate and rescue the remaining 14 missing soldiers and other civilians," the release further added.It said that Indian Army efforts towards providing safety, relief & succour to the ..

Sikkim flash floods: MoS Ajay Mishra meets CM Tamang, assures Centre's help

MoS Mishra is on a two-day visit to Sikkim to take stock of flash flood-affected areas

MoS Home Mishra visits flood-hit Sikkim, assures of all central assistance

The central government is closely monitoring the situation in Sikkim, where a cloudburst and floods led to severe destruction and deaths, and providing all the necessary support and assistance to the state, Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Kumar Mishra said on Saturday. Mishra, who is currently visiting the areas hit by Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF), cloud burst and flash floods, also said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah are in constant touch with Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang with regard to the extent of damages and rescue and relief work. The government of India under Prime Minister Modi is standing in solidarity with the people of Sikkim and leaving no stone unturned to restore normalcy in the state, according to an official release. Within a day of the incident, Home Minister Shah has deputed Mishra to visit Sikkim. Mishra reached Gangtok on Friday night, and chaired a meeting with the Chief Secretary and head of departments ..

Central team to visit flood-hit Sikkim from Sunday to assess damage: Govt

An inter-ministerial central team will visit flood-hit Sikkim from Sunday to assess the damage due to the natural calamity, Union Minister Ajay Kumar Mishra said. Mishra, the union minister of state for home affairs, arrived here on Saturday for a three-day visit to the Himalayan state. He said the Centre has been monitoring the flood situation in Sikkim and assured the state administration of all necessary support and assistance. Mishra held a meeting with Chief Secretary V B Pathak and senior officials of the state government, army and other organisations. "The Centre is closely monitoring the situation in Sikkim and all the necessary support and assistance for the state is underway," Mishra said. Officials of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Border Roads Organisation (BRO), National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDC) and NHPC Ltd were also present at the meeting. Mishra also said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah

Sikkim flash floods: Over 3,000 tourists stranded in Lachen, Lachung

More than 3,000 tourists are stranded in Lachen and Lachung in Mangan district of Sikkim after flash flood hit the area and cut off all road communications are safe on Saturday, officials said. The Indian Air Force made multiple attempts to carry out rescue and relief operations by Mi-17 helicopters but was unable to fly from Bagdogra as well as Chaten due to the inclement weather, low-lying cloud cover and low visibility conditions in the Lachen and Lachung valley, they said. The roads to Lachen and Lachung are damaged. An alternative route to Chungthang via Dzongu is in the process of being opened for the rescue teams to move forward. Teesta Urja has also provided a chopper for the rescue of tourists and the supply of essential commodities to the Chungtang area. An ITBP team that reached the area is carrying out relief and rescue in Chungthang at the moment, officials said. The India Meteorological Department in a weather forecast with respect to Mangan district said light to ..

Sikkim flood death toll rises to 27, search ops continue for 141 missing

Search operations continued on Saturday for the 142 people who are still missing after the flash flood in the Teesta river that devastated Sikkim, officials said. Twenty-six people including seven Armymen were killed in the flash flood, which was triggered by a cloudburst in the early hours of Wednesday and affected over 25,000 people, damaged more than 1,200 houses and washed away 13 bridges, bringing the picturesque Himalayan state to its knees, they said. So far, 2,413 people have been rescued from different areas and 6,875 people are taking shelter in 22 relief camps set up across the state, most of which has been cut off from the rest of the country. Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang announced an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh for the families of the deceased and an immediate relief of Rs 2,000 each for all those taking shelter in the camps. "There have been damage worth thousands of crores of rupees. We cannot give exact details about the damage. It will be revealed once a ...