Sikkim floods: Bodies of 7 army personnel found, 15 still missing, says CM Tamang

Of the 23 missing army personnel from Burdang area, the bodies of seven have been recovered from different areas downstream while one was rescued and the search is on for 15 missing jawans, Sikkim Chief Minister P S Tamang said.

A total of 103 people, including the 15 jawans, remained missing after a cloudburst over Lhonak Lake in North Sikkim in the early hours of Wednesday triggered the flash flood.

The death toll due to flash floods in Sikkim mounted to 19 on Friday and may increase as 103 people, including 22 army personnel remained missing. The state government said on Thursday that the rescue operations were underway but the process was slowed down due to bad weather and damaged infrastructure.

More than 22,000 people have been affected by the calamity, triggered by heavy rain over Lhonak Lake in North Sikkim in the early hours of Wednesday. Approximately 3,000 tourists, including foreigners, are stranded in various parts of Sikkim, and NH-10, the key road connecting the state to the rest of India, has also suffered damage. As per the official data, 2,011 people have been rescued so far, while those affected have been moved to 26 relief camps in the state.

Helpline numbers issued

Sikkim government helpline numbers are 03592-202892 – Landline; 03592-221152 – Landline; 8001763383 – Mobile; 03592-202042 – Fax; or call ‘112’ for emergency assistance.

The Indian Army’s three helplines for families of missing people in Sikkim including its own soldiers: In North Sikkim – dial 8750887741; for East Sikkim – 8756991895; helpline number for enquiries related to the 22 missing soldiers – 7588302011.