Indian Army Searches For 23 Missing Soldiers After Flash Flood

Reuters, Citing the spokesperson of the Indian Ministry of Defense, reported on Wednesday that these floods occurred on Tuesday night in a valley in the mountainous state of“Sikkim” in the northeastern region.

According to reports, heavy rains and thunderstorms have hampered rescue operations in the area, and some army facilities have also been damaged due to the storms.

Meanwhile, the Indian army has emphasized in a statement that“due to heavy and sudden rainfall over Lake Lunaik in northern Sikkim and the occurrence of sudden floods in the Teesta River, 23 personnel have gone missing, and some army vehicles have been submerged.”

This remote area is situated near India's border with Nepal, and it includes Lhonak Lake, located at the foot of a glacier surrounded by the snowy peaks of Kangchenjunga, the world's third-highest mountain.

The army reported that the water released upstream from the Chungthang dam had caused the river's water level to rise more than 4.5 meters (15 feet) higher than its typical level.

Approximately 15,000 people living in the area are expected to be impacted, and at least eight significant bridges along the Teesta River's banks have been swept away, as reported by VS Pathak, the state's chief secretary, Reuters reported.

Previously, severe seasonal floods during the monsoon season in India have led to significant human and economic losses.

Sikkim Valley, located in the northeastern mountainous state of India, is a remote area near the India-Nepal border, nestled at the base of a natural glacier.

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