165 more airlifted as rescue ops continue in Sikkim

The army airlifted 165 more tourists from Lachung and Lachen in northern Sikkim on the second day of rescue operations on Tuesday, six days after the eastern Himalayan state was devastated by flash floods in the Teesta river, which destroyed human habitations, the Bardang army camp, several hydropower projects and important roads, including NH10.

Most of the tourists in Sikkim are stranded at Lachen and Lachung, popular destinations in Mangan district. The MI-17 and Chinook helicopters took off for the first time on Monday, when the weather cleared, and rescued 493 tourists and nine local residents.

Also read: Stranded for six days in Sikkim, tourist families recall trauma before rescue

The flash floods occurred in the early hours of October 4 when a glacial lake at south Lhonak burst its banks following torrential rain. The bodies of most people who drowned were carried downstream into West Bengal by the Teesta. The deaths, which stood at 89 till Monday, rose to 91, as two more bodies were found in West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district, officials said.

“Over these two days, the choppers made at least 98 sorties and flew for around 55 hours to evacuate stranded people and transport relief materials to remote areas such as Lachen and Lachung. The helicopters are taking off whenever we are getting a window of clear weather,” VB Pathak, chief secretary of Sikkim, told the media in Gangtok on Tuesday. “The India Meteorological Department has forecasted that weather is likely to remain clear over the next two days.”

Around 3,000 people, most of whom are tourists, were stranded in Lachen, Lachung and Chungthang in northern Sikkim. A six-member interministerial central team took an aerial survey of the flood-hit areas on Tuesday.

“Communication lines at Chungthang have been restored by BSNL with VSAT units, which is a low-cost satellite technology that allows two-way communication,” a Sikkim government official said, declining to be named.

During the catastrophe, 23 army personnel, vehicles and crates of ammunition were swept away by the Teesta from the camp at Bardang in Pakyong district. Only one of these missing men was found alive and the bodies of eight soldiers were recovered over the past five days.

“Of the 45 bodies recovered so far in Jalpaiguri district, only 11 could be identified. Six of these victims were army personnel,” said Khandbahale Umesh Ganpat, district superintendent of police.

Lt Col Mahendra Rawat, the army’s chief public relations officer in the region, said in a statement that assessment of the damage suffered by roads has been completed across Sikkim and restoration plans have been worked out by the Border Roads Organisation and army engineers. “A number of meetings were held with the state government and ground reconnaissance has been carried out,” the statement said.

Chief minister PS Tamang was present at some of the meetings. He assured that his government will provide land and also clear forests for repair and reconstruction, the statement added.