Glacial lake burst causes flash floods in Indian Himalayas
KOLKATA/NEW DELHI, Oct 6 (Reuters) – At least 42 people have been confirmed dead and nearly 150 people are missing after a glacial lake burst its banks and triggered flash floods in the Indian Himalayas this week, according to government officials.
The Lhonak Lake, located in the mountainous northeastern state of Sikkim, overflowed on Wednesday after a cloudburst triggered torrential rains and an avalanche, resulting in major flooding in the Teesta river.
This disaster, described as one of the worst in the region in more than 50 years, is part of a series of extreme weather events occurring in South Asia’s Himalayas, which scientists attribute to climate change.
The flooding has severely impacted the lives of 22,000 people in Sikkim, coinciding with the state’s popular festive and tourism season. Javed Ahmed Ansari, a resident of the Teesta valley, shared his experience, stating, “We got calls from people that river levels could rise at 3 a.m. and we ran for our lives. We ran towards the hill in the jungle … We saw houses getting swept away. I can now only see the first floor of our house which is filled with sand, everything is submerged.”
Efforts are underway to establish an early warning system for glacial floods at Lhonak Lake, which could have provided more time for evacuation if fully operational, according to officials involved in the project.
Rescue operations are ongoing, with 20 bodies found in Sikkim and 22 in the neighboring state of West Bengal, including six Indian military personnel who were washed away from Sikkim. The remaining 16 bodies are being circulated in Sikkim to establish their identity.
The number of missing individuals has risen to 142, including 15 army personnel, as search efforts intensify thanks to improved weather conditions. Military helicopters have attempted to evacuate stranded tourists in the higher reaches of the state but have been hindered by bad weather.
Fortunately, all tourists, including over 50 foreigners, have been reported safe by Bandana Chettri, a top official in the state tourism department.
The aftermath of the flooding has caused significant damage, with fifteen bridges being washed away in Sikkim, impeding rescue operations. All bridges downstream of the Teesta-V hydropower station have either been submerged or washed away. Additionally, military equipment, including firearms and explosives, has been washed away in the Teesta river.
In a separate incident in a neighboring district in West Bengal, a mortar shell exploded, killing one child and injuring six people.
The weather department reported that Sikkim experienced 101 mm (four inches) of rain in the first five days of October, more than double the normal levels, which led to floods worse than those in October 1968 when an estimated 1,000 people lost their lives.
While heavy rain is still forecasted in parts of the region, the intensity of showers is expected to ease, according to the India Meteorological Department.
Sikkim, a small Buddhist state with a population of about 650,000, has been cut off from Siliguri in West Bengal as the main highway linking it to the rest of the country has collapsed.
Rescue and relief efforts are ongoing, with approximately 2,400 people already evacuated and over 7,600 people accommodated in relief camps. Private and government institutions in the affected area will remain closed until October 15.
Additional reporting by Jatindra Dash in Bhubaneswar; Writing by Shivam Patel and YP Rajesh; Editing by Michael Perry and Andrew Heavens