India
Scared by loud noise, could not sleep, say people of West Bengal after Sikkim cloudbursts & flash floods
Flood alert has already been sounded in seven districts of West Bengal. As precautionary measure, people in the districts of Kalimpong, Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri have been evacuated to safer places
FP Staff Last Updated:October 04, 2023 15:34:49 IST 
Sikkim flash floods. Image courtesy: @YearOfMonk/X
People in West Bengal’s Kalimpong are scared after flash floods following cloudbursts in Sikkim claimed three lives and washed away 23 army men.
“There was a loud noise. Water flew down to the road… We are more scared now. Our situation is too bad. We haven’t slept at night. We have not slept since we received the message,” Meena Sherpa, a resident of Kalimpong was quoted as saying by ANI.
Sikkim and West Bengal’s Kalimpong are less than 100 kilometres away.
Cooperative Chairman Block 1, Kalimpong, Uttar Rai said the National Highway (NH10) has been blocked and will not be operational for the next 10-15 days.
The NH10 connects Sikkim to the rest of the country.
“Situation is critical, some lost their homes…A lot of damage happened, the entire highway got damaged and it’s closed,” Rai added.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast heavy rains in Sikkim over the next few days and the sudden cloudburst triggering flash floods in the state have sounded alert in neighbouring West Bengal and Jharkhand.
Flood alert has already been sounded in seven districts of West Bengal. As precautionary measure, people in the districts of Kalimpong, Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri have been evacuated to safer places.
In a post on X, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said: “All steps have been taken to evacuate people in the districts of Kalimpong, Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri to safer places. Senior ministers of the state and senior IAS officers have been rushed to North Bengal to oversee rescue and relief operations. Close vigil is being kept to ensure no loss of life in this grave calamity.” Kolkata received incessant rains since Tuesday night leaving the streets inundated and slowing down the traffic.
Paschim Medinipur, Bankura, Purulia and Purba Bardhaman districts of West Bengal are also reeling under a flood-like situation after the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) reportedly released 90,000 cusec of water from Maithon and Panchet dams.
Around 1 lakh cusecs of water was released from the two dams on Monday.
A cloudburst over Lhonak Lake in north Sikkim resulted in a flash flood in the Teesta River basin, which was aggravated by the release of water from a dam. The started around 1.30 am, they said.
The Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA) said a “cloudburst in portions of Lhonak Lake, which caused the rise of water levels with very high velocities downstream along the Teesta River basin in the early hours of Wednesday”, damaged many establishments in Mangan, Gangtok, Pakyong, and Namchi districts.
All schools located in the four districts of Sikkim will remain closed till October 8, the education department said in a circular.
