According to the army, at least five people have been found dead after a flash flood in India. 23 soldiers are still missing. The search is made more difficult by muddy ground.
Sudden rains have triggered devastating flash floods in India’s northeastern state of Sikkim. At least five civilians were killed, the Indian army said. Five bodies were recovered in Golitar and Singtam regions, the Press Trust of India news agency reported, citing administrative official Mahendra Chettri.
According to the army, 23 soldiers are missing. Several military vehicles have been flooded and rescue work is ongoing.
Muddy ground makes the search for missing people difficult
As a spokesman for the Indian Ministry of Defense announced, the muddy ground is making it difficult to search for the missing people in the state of Sikkim. Vehicles got stuck in the mud. The weather agency warned of landslides. Schools in parts of the state will remain closed until the end of the week, local media reported.
After a flash flood in India, people are evacuated from the Muguthang Valley by an excavator.
Sikkim’s capital Gangtok cut off
Army spokesman Anjan Basumatary said the main road connecting Sikkim to West Bengal state was swept away in the heavy rain. Sikkim’s capital Gangtok is completely cut off.
Map showing the Sikkim region of India and the city of Gangtok
Heavy rain over Lake Lhonak was the main trigger for flooding in a valley about 150 kilometers north of Gangtok, near the border with China. Local media reports also said that heavy rain during the night led to a sharp rise in the level of the Teesta River. Sikkim authorities urged residents not to go near the river. Around 15,000 people are likely to live in the affected region.
The heavy rain is also paralyzing other parts of the country: There are flight disruptions because heavy rain is also expected in some parts of the country.