The Sikkim government has warned people that explosives and ammunition may be found along the banks of the Teesta river after an ammunition depot of the army in north Sikkim was affected due to flash floods.

“The local population are hereby warned that explosives or ammunition may be found along the Teesta basin. These ammunitions should not be handled or picked up since they may explode and cause grievous injuries,” said an advisory issued by the state land revenue and disaster management department on Thursday.

The Himalayan state in eastern India was hit by a flash flood killing at least 14 people and leaving behind a trail of destruction. At Least 102 people, including 23 army personnel, were missing.

“A request had come from the army that an army depot in north Sikkim in Chungthang area was affected in the flood and that an advisory should be sent out to the citizens,” said an official of the disaster management department, adding that the local police administrations have also been alerted.

Out of the four districts affected by the flash floods, Chungthang in north Sikkim’s Mangan district was the worst hit. A dam of the Teesta III hydropower project was also washed away after the water level rose to 15-20 feet high downstream.

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“The 17 Mountain division flagged on Thursday that due to incessant rains in the upper reaches of the state, the water level in the Teesta was rising in the Chungthang area. People have been advised not to go down in the river banks,” said an official.

Officials at the disaster management control room in Gangtok said roads and communication lines in Chungthang have been snapped and that were in the dark about the situation.

“We have absolutely no communication with Chungthang where the flash flood washed away a dam. The town has also been affected. …people were evacuated soon after the water level in the Teesta started rising in the early hours of Wednesday…the casualties have not been much. The town has been hit though,” said a second official.

At least 11 bridges were washed away in the Teesta basin. The lifeline National Highway 10, which connects Sikkim with the rest of the country, has been severely damaged at multiple places.

A third official said Mangan has been cut off from the rest of the state and that police, residents, and NGOs were carrying out rescue operations. Around 650 people have been put up at 22 relief camps in four districts while over 2,000 people have been evacuated to safer places, said the official.