GANGTOK (UCAN): At least 19 people died and over a hundred missing after a glacial lake outburst caused flash floods Sikkim state in northeastern India on October 4.
“The cloudburst over the Lhonak Lake led to flash floods in low-lying areas of the Teesta River basin,” said chief secretary, Vijay Bhushan Pathak, the top official in the hilly state bordering the Himalayan nation of Nepal.
The Chungthang dam, the largest hydropower project in Sikkim, suffered serious damage, further contributing to the massive impact of the Himalayan glacial lake outburst.
Severe damage was caused in Mangan, Gangtok, Pakyong, and Namchi districts, said an official release by the government.
The state deployed rescue and relief teams, comprising the National Disaster Response Force and the army. A defense spokesperson said there was a sudden rise in water levels up to six metres high downstream.
According to the state-run disaster management control room, 19 people were confirmed dead and more than a hundred missing as of October 6.
Among the 22,234 affected people, 2,107 were shifted to relief camps and 1,711 others were evacuated.
Media reports said that more than 3,000 tourists were stranded in different parts of the state boasts India’s highest mountain, the 8,586-metre Kangchenjunga.
The Chungthang dam, the largest hydropower project in Sikkim, suffered serious damage, further contributing to the massive impact of the Himalayan glacial lake outburst
Mahindra Gurung, general secretary of the Sikhim Catholic Association which is participating with the rescue operations, said on October 5 that the number of affected is likely to go up as the rescue teams are yet to reach out to many affected areas.
“The situation in the flood-hit areas is bad as the road network has been washed away,” Gurung said.
Nearly 11 Catholic families told us that they survived the floods after many difficulties, Gurung said.
“All their belongings washed away. Rains are further hampering the rescue work,” Gurung added.
Father Samuel Lepcha, director of the social work department of Diocese of Darjeeling said on October 5 that the Church is cooperating with the government to speed up rescue operations.
The government said 13 bridges were washed away, causing serious hurdles for relief teams. Police admitted that they had yet to establish contact with some of the affected areas.
The chief minister of Sikkim, Prem Singh Tamang, visited affected areas offering assurances of government support.
The government attributed the possible cause of the flash floods to a combination of excess rainfall and a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood, a water-induced hazard that occurs when glaciers create reservoirs of water that can suddenly burst, leading to flash floods.
Scientists have repeatedly warned of the serious impact that climate change is having on the Himalayan glaciers and glacial lakes.
Nepal was jolted by four earthquakes in quick succession on October 3 and the impact was felt in northern India.
Sikkim is known for its dramatic landscapes and, together with six other provincial states, makes up India’s northeastern region, bordering Myanmar, Nepal, Bangladesh and the Tibetan region.
