Teesta River swells in Sikkim; IMD issues red alert for Mangan
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for today in the State's Mangan district for heavy to very heavy rain in the region.
ANI
-
ITBP personnel carry an injured person amid a rescue operation after a vehicle plunged into the Teesta river (PTI)
Mangan, 1 June
The Teesta River's water level rose significantly on Sunday due to
the heavy and continuous downpour in Sikkim.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for today in the
State's Mangan district for heavy to very heavy rain in the region.
The MeT also issued an orange alert for Sikkim's Gyalshing, Namchi, Soreng,
Gangtok and Pakyong for the next 24 hours.
Superintendent of Police (SP), Mangan district, Sonam Detchu Bhutia on Saturday
said that rescue operations are underway for the second day to find the nine
missing persons after a tourist vehicle carrying 11 people plunged nearly 1,000
feet into the Teesta River near Chubombu, Mangan district on 29 May.
Speaking to ANI, SP Sonam Detchu Bhutia said, "The tourists went missing
after the incident in which their vehicle fell into the river. Two of them were
rescued safely on the night of 29 May. The remaining nine, including the driver
from Sikkim, ITBP, SDRF, and NDRF, conducted a rescue operation yesterday. But
the car that had fallen into the river could not be pulled out as it was stuck
in debris. We did not find any bodies near it."
"There was heavy rain last night; there was also a cloudburst in the upper
areas. The water level of the Teesta River has increased by 4 meters... The
roads are broken at multiple places. The Deputy Commissioner is at the spot...
The SDM and SDPO are directed to carry out the search operations non-stop...
There are six tourists from Odisha, two from Tripura and two from UP... There
were 11 people, including a driver from Sikkim," he added.
Rescue Volunteer from the Tourism Department, Anand Gurung, told ANI, "We
were on our way for the rescue operation, going on to find the tourists who
went missing after their car fell into the river. The roads are blocked for the
next 7-8 km... The teams at the spot are carrying out the rescue operations.
Our team was on backup, but we won't be able to reach today... Any vehicle
cannot pass from here as of now..."
According to the district administration, many properties have also been
damaged due to a landslide.
In North Sikkim, landslides were reported in the Theeng and Chungthang areas,
causing damage to multiple properties, according to the district
administration.
The IMD has strongly advised citizens to avoid unnecessary travel, remain
indoors wherever possible, and stay away from riverbanks and vulnerable slopes.
Leave a Reply
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *