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Sikkim Flash Floods Live Updates: The toll in the flash flood in Sikkim mounted to 19 as Army and NDRF teams worked their way through slushy earth and fast flowing water in the Teesta river basin and downstream north Bengal for the second day in search of those who were swept away and are still missing. As per the State Disaster Management Authority, 19 people dead, 103 missing in the Sikkim flash floods Several towns, including Dikchu, Singtam, and Rangpo located in the Teesta basin, have also been flooded with the upsurge in the river. Over 3,000 tourists are reported to be stranded in different parts of Sikkim. So far, 2,011 people have been rescued, while the calamity has affected 22,034 people, the Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA) said in a bulletin. The state education department issued a circular stating that all government, private schools, colleges and universities in the state will remain closed till 15 October due to the prevalence of inclement weather.
Mint’s LIVE blog will update you with the latest news on the Sikkim floods:
Areas near Teesta river put on high alert
Amid flash flood warning.
India lake that flooded was poised to get early warning system
Scientists and government authorities were working on an early warning system for glacial floods at a Himalayan lake in northeast India when it broke its banks this week with deadly consequences.
Mountainous Sikkim state plunged into chaos on Wednesday as floods spurred by heavy rain and an avalanche killed at least 18 people. It was one of the worst disasters in the region in 50 years, and more than 100 people remained missing on Thursday.
The first part of the system, a camera to monitor Lhonak Lake’s level and weather instruments, were installed last month, officials involved in the project told Reuters.
If fully operational, the warning system could have given people more time to evacuate, scientists said. One scientist said glacial early warning systems can typically give residents a few minutes to an hour of notice.
Details of the Lhonak Lake warning system have not previously been reported.
“It’s quite absurd, really,” said geoscientist Simon Allen of the University of Zurich who is involved with the project. “The fact it happened just two weeks after our team was there was completely bad luck”.
All schools, colleges in Sikkim to remain close till October 15
All government and private schools, colleges and universities in Sikkim will remain closed till October 15 due to the prevalence of inclement weather, according to a revised circular by the state Education Department on Thursday.
The circular comes within hours of Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang’s directive for the closure of schools, colleges and universities in Sikkim till further notice due to the unprecedented disaster caused by flash floods in the Teesta river basin.
The Education Department, in a circular on Wednesday, had earlier ordered closure of government and private schools till October 8.
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