Flash Flood Alert In Sikkim After Teesta River Water Levels Rise

Those living on the banks of the Teesta river have also been advised to evacuate

Kolkata:

A flash flood alert has been issued in the north and east districts of Sikkim on Wednesday after the water levels of the Teesta River rose to an alarming level overnight, authorities said.

The Sikkim administration has issued a high alert to the residents of the two districts as a sudden rise in the river’s water was witnessed after Tuesday night. Videos recorded by locals showed a large section of  a road washed away by the raging river waters.

As per the state disaster authority, the flooding in the river occurred after a cloudburst in the northern part of the state’s Mangan district.

“Flooding of Teesta River Basin has occurred due to Cloud Burst in the Northern Part of Mangan District. All are advised to stay alert and avoid travel along the River Basin,” an alert message by Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority said.

As the water levels rose, connectivity to Chungthang town in North Sikkim has also been affected after a bridge linking the town to its surrounding areas was damaged.

An alert has been issued to all police stations in low-lying areas to ensure safety of all the residents. Those living on the banks of the Teesta river have also been advised to evacuate their homes to ensure their safety.

As per the India Meteorological Department, since yesterday, Namchi in South Sikkim witnessed 98.0mm of rain along with Namthang (90.5mm).

Areas in East and West Sikkim Also witnessed moderate rain. “As regards weather forecast over Sikkim, light to moderate rainfall is expected during next 3-4 days over Sikkim,” the weather office said in a tweet.