Sikkim CM Tamang visits flood-hit Mangan to inspect rescue operations

Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang on Saturday visited the flood-hit areas of Mangan district and inspected the rescue and relief work being carried out by the army and the local administration.

He interacted with the flood-affected families of Naga, Rel, and Toong wards and enquired about their conditions.

Tamang also visited a relief camp, where around 200 people are staying, and assured them of all possible help from the state government for their rehabilitation.

Speaking to reporters, the chief minister said the restoration of road connectivity was the top priority of the state government as it will speed up relief work and evacuation of the stranded people.

The toll in the flash flood in Sikkim rose to 27 on Saturday even as search operations continued for 141 people who are still missing, an official report said.

27 people, including eight army men, were killed in the flood, which was triggered by a cloudburst in the early hours of Wednesday and affected over 25,000 people, damaged more than 1,200 houses and washed away 13 bridges in the Himalayan state, said the report by the Disaster Management Department.

The body of one more army man was found in West Bengal on Saturday.

Of the 27 deaths - four were from Mangan district, six from Gangtok, nine from Pakyong and eight army men, it said.

Earlier in the day, some state government officials reached Chungthang on foot after crossing the Chungthang River using ropes.

Chungthang Valley suffered massive damage due to the flash flood in the Teesta river and was cut off from the rest of Sikkim by road.

The construction of a log bridge to reconnect Chungthang was still underway, officials added.