GANGTOK: As many as 23 Indian Army personnel have been reported to be missing following the cloudburst in Sikkim.
According to sources, the 23 Indian Army personnel went missing from the Bardang area near Singtam in Sikkim.
Search operations to trace the missing army personnel are underway, sources informed.
Furthermore, few Army establishments along the Lachen valley in Sikkim have also been affected due to the cloudburst triggered flash floods.
“Due to a sudden cloud burst over Lhonak Lake in North Sikkim, a flash flood occurred in Teesta River in Lachen Valley,” a defence source said.
It added: “Some army establishments along the valley have been affected and efforts are on to confirm details. 23 personnel have been reported missing and some vehicles are reported submerged under the slush. Search operations are underway.”
A major cloudburst took place at the Himalayan state of Sikkim, with major roads and bridges being washed away by the swelling Teesta River.
An alert has been issued by the authorities in Sikkim following the cloudburst.
The flash flood in many areas of Sikkim is a result of a cloudburst and breach of the Lonark Lake.
People living in the low-lying areas and along the Teesta River in Sikkim have been warned of flash floods.
Waters of the Teesta River in Sikkim has breached low-lying towns like like Singtam and Rangpo in the wee hours of Wednesday (October 04) causing floods.
Meanwhile, due to the cloudburst, major roads, including the national highway-10, have been washed away.
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Moreover, the rising waters of the Teesta River also washed away the iconic Indreni Bridge that connects Singtam in East Sikkim with Aadarsh Gaon in the South district.
On the other hand, residents in areas like Dikchu, Singtam and Rangpo have been evacuated to safer locations by the authorities in Sikkim.