The top of the tap juts out of the water in the Lachen Valley, where the rainy season usually ends by October. Photo: AFP
At least 23 Indian soldiers are missing after massive flooding caused by heavy rains hit a remote valley in the mountainous northeastern state of Sikkim.
A video posted on Wednesday by an Indian Army spokesman showed a powerful flow of water. of brown water flowing down a densely forested valley, with roads washed out and power lines down.
“Due to a sudden cloud that broke over the Lhonak Lake in North Sikkim, a flash flood occurred in the Teesta River.. Reportedly that 23 soldiers were missing and some vehicles sank under the slush,” he said. “Exploration efforts are underway.”
The area is close to India's borders with Nepal and China and boasts a significant military presence.
Lake Lhonak is located at the foot of a glacier among the snow-capped peaks surrounding Kanchenjunga, the world's third highest mountain.
The military said water released upstream from the Chungthang Dam meant the river was already at 4.5m higher than usual.
India is wary of its northern neighbor's growing military assertiveness, and their shared 3,500-kilometer (2,200-mile) border has been a constant source of tension, with parts of Sikkim claimed by Beijing.
Emergency services are evacuating residents of Mugutanga and surrounding areas as people are advised to avoid travel. Photo: AFP
Clashes in January 2021 resulted in injuries on both sides at the Naku La Pass. , which connects Sikkim with Tibet on the Chinese side.
China and India, which fought a border war in 1962, stationed tens of thousands of soldiers in the border areas.
Flash floods are common during the monsoon season, which begins in June and usually moves away from the Indian subcontinent. by the end of September. By October, the heaviest monsoon rains usually end.
Experts say climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of floods.
Other photos provided by the army show water inundating the first floors of buildings and flows down a street in the city, with only the tip of a small construction crane visible.
Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang said emergency services were working to provide relief to flood victims.
“I humbly urge all our citizens to remain vigilant and refrain from unnecessary travel at this critical time,” he wrote in a statement. social media.
The Teesta River was already 4.5m higher than usual due to a dam upstream. Photo: AFP
In the neighboring state of West Bengal, people were evacuated from the districts of Kalimpong, Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri and moved to safer places.
A monsoon occurs when summer heat heats up the subcontinent, causing air temperatures to rise. and suck in cooler winds from the Indian Ocean, which then produce huge amounts of rainfall.
But they also bring destruction every year in the form of landslides and floods.
Melting glaciers make the situation worse. volume of water, and unregulated construction in flood-prone areas is exacerbating the damage.
Himalayan glaciers are melting faster than ever before due to climate change, exposing local communities to unpredictable and costly disasters.
< p>Glaciers disappeared 65 percent faster between 2011 and 2020 compared with the previous decade, the International Center for Integrated Mountain Development said in a June report.
Based on current emissions trajectories, glaciers could lose up to 80 percent from their current volume by the end of the century, the report says.
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