In a heart-wrenching catastrophe, the tranquil landscapes of Sikkim were marred by a sudden and destructive flash flood, claiming at least 14 lives, while leaving 120 individuals missing, including 23 brave army personnel. This calamity, triggered by a glacial lake outburst, unfolded in the early hours of Wednesday, following relentless heavy rains in northern Sikkim.
The grim toll of casualties is expected to surge significantly, with authorities reporting the recovery of around 40 bodies from various locations in the aftermath of this calamity.
The flash flood was unleashed by a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) originating in portions of Lhonak lake, situated in Mangan district. The surge of water, propelled by its tremendous force and velocity, surged downstream, wreaking havoc in Mangan, Gangtok, Pakyong, and Namchi Districts.
The consequences of this natural disaster were devastating. The Teesta – III dam at Chunthang was swept away, and no less than six bridges succumbed to the deluge. The National Highway 10 (NH10) suffered extensive damage in multiple areas.
Prabhakar Rai, Director of Sikkim’s Disaster Management Department, conveyed the gravity of the situation, stating, “North Sikkim has been totally cut off from the rest of the state while Sikkim has been cut off from the rest of India as the flood had badly hit NH10.”
It is believed that the heavy rains possibly triggered an avalanche, which, in turn, led to the Glacial Lake Outburst Flood. This unleashed a torrent of water and debris, including massive boulders, which wreaked havoc upon the hydro dam in Chunthang, resulting in its complete destruction.
Scientists familiar with the area noted that over time, the Lhonak glacier had retreated, causing the lake to expand in size. This alarming growth made the lake increasingly susceptible to Glacial Lake Outburst Floods.
In response to this tragedy, Sikkim’s Chief Minister, Prem Singh Tamang (Golay), took to social media to convey his condolences and express the government’s commitment to address the crisis. Emergency services have been mobilized to affected regions, with the Chief Minister personally assessing the damage and engaging with the local community.
According to the Central Water Commission (CWC), the flood occurred around midnight, with water levels rising at an astonishing rate of nearly 15 meters per second. By 6 am, the Teesta river near Melli was flowing a perilous three meters above the danger level.
The floodwaters reached Chungthang around 1 am, leading to severe damage to the Teesta-III hydro dam. Subsequently, by 2:30 pm, low-lying areas in the downstream districts were inundated, compounding the devastation.
Rescue efforts were launched swiftly, with various agencies coordinating the evacuation of approximately 600 individuals, primarily those residing near the river and the highway.
This calamity also wreaked havoc on infrastructure, with four major bridges suffering damage, along with a GREF (General Reserve Engineering Force) crusher plant and numerous residences. NH-10, a critical transportation artery, faced blockages at multiple points.
Meanwhile, four teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were deployed to assist in the affected areas in Sikkim and the neighboring regions near the Sikkim-West Bengal border, along the banks of the Teesta river.
Given that the Teesta river traverses four districts in West Bengal before entering Bangladesh, a flood alert was sounded in the northern Bengal districts and neighboring Bangladesh. This prompted a swift response from West Bengal’s government, which initiated rescue operations and evacuated approximately 5,800 people from the affected districts.
Truly distressing, this calamity underscores the vulnerability of regions susceptible to Glacial Lake Outburst Floods and serves as a poignant reminder of the unpredictability of nature’s fury. Our thoughts are with the affected communities as they grapple with this devastating loss.