Sikkim tragedy: Death toll reaches 19, relief and rescue operations continue, 103 people including 22 soldiers missing

-Around 3000 tourists stranded in Lachen and Lachung

Gangtok (Hindustan Reporter) The death toll due to the devastating floods in Teesta river in Sikkim has increased to 19. A total of 103 people, including 22 Indian Army soldiers, are still missing.

Sikkim Chief Secretary VB Pathak said all the tourists stranded in Lachen and Lachung in North Sikkim are safe and there is no shortage of essential commodities. The Sikkim government has started preparations to evacuate the people stranded in Lachen, Lachung and Chungthang by establishing contact with the Indian Army and Air Force. If the weather is favourable, this work will be started from tomorrow, Friday.

Around 3000 tourists and seven to eight hundred drivers are stranded in Lachen and Lachung. The Chief Secretary said that efforts are being made to bring the people stranded in North Sikkim to Mangan through air connectivity and from there to Gangtok through government buses. He said that it is being ensured that there is no shortage of any essential food items in the state.

For the second day today, Sikkim Government conducted day-long search and rescue operations with the help of various rescue teams at the places devastated by the devastating floods. Some people have been rescued from Singtam. The body of Dawa Lepcha, who died after getting trapped in the control room of NHPC dam in Dikchu, has been found.

Some dead bodies have been found in the under construction dam of NHPC Phase-6 located at Sirwani near Singtam, efforts are being made to remove them. Relief camps have been set up for the affected people in various places in Mangan, Gangtok, Pakim and Namchi districts of the state.

Due to complete closure of 10, the only National Highway connecting Sikkim, the possibility of shortage of food items including fuel has increased in the state. Meanwhile, the state Food and Civil Supplies Department has started initiatives to control the price of food items and vegetables.