The death toll from flash floods, triggered by the bursting of a glacial lake, in India’s Himalayan region has risen to 74 as of Monday, with 101 people still unaccounted for, according to provincial officials.
The catastrophe unfolded in the northeastern state of Sikkim following several days of relentless rainfall. Torrents of water surged down narrow river valleys from Lohnak Lake, leading to the breach of a dam and extensive devastation in nearby villages and Rangpo town, approximately 50 kilometers (30 miles) to the south of the state capital, Gangtok.
Vijay Bhushan Pathak, Sikkim’s chief secretary and the highest-ranking bureaucrat in the state, informed Reuters that rescuers have discovered 25 bodies within Sikkim’s boundaries, while the bodies of eight army personnel who were swept away have been found in the downstream state of West Bengal.
Tragically, 101 individuals, including 14 army personnel, remain missing, as reported by the defense ministry. The search and rescue operations are challenged by damaged roads, poor communication networks, and adverse weather conditions. Local residents are grappling with the daunting task of clearing mud and debris in the aftermath of one of the most devastating disasters to hit the remote region in more than half a century.
Parveen Shama, the chief district official of Jalpaiguri in West Bengal, revealed that 41 bodies were discovered in that district.
Sikkim, a predominantly Buddhist state with a population of around 650,000, is nestled amidst the towering mountains, sharing borders with Nepal, Bhutan, and China. The state experienced an exceptional 101 millimeters (four inches) of rainfall in the initial five days of October, which is more than double the normal levels.
Tragically, this region has faced similar calamities before. In October 1968, an estimated 1,000 individuals perished in floods in Sikkim.
Mukesh Kumar, a 43-year-old migrant worker in Rangpo, recounted the harrowing experience of having only ten minutes to escape before the flash flood struck. He reflected, “Had we not left two minutes earlier, we might have drowned,” while surveying the devastation that now engulfed his lodgings.
Local residents have reported that many individuals residing on the ground floors of buildings likely could not have survived.
Baiju Sharma, a 45-year-old who ran a furniture business, observed the aftermath of the disaster and pointed out, “Where you are standing now is 15 feet (4.5 meters) higher than it was before. You are standing on his house,” indicating his neighbor’s residence buried under debris.
Government officials have indicated that around 2,000 tourists stranded in isolated parts of northern Sikkim are safe. State authorities and the army have provided them with food and communication facilities to establish contact with their families amidst the challenging circumstances.