MHA constitutes Inter-Ministerial Central Team to assess damages caused by flash flood in Sikkim

The Ministry of Home Affairs on Friday constituted an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) to make an assessment of damages caused due to a Glacial Lake outburst Flood (GLOF) leading to a surge in flows in the Teesta River causing a flash flood in Sikkim on October 4. So far, the flash flood in the northeastern state has claimed the lives of 21 people, including six soldiers, while 103 people still remain missing. Over 3,000 tourists are reportedly stranded in the northeastern state. So far, 2,500 people have been evacuated and another 6,000 have been moved to relief camps. Defence officials have said that as the search for the missing Indian Army personnel continues, the Indian Army is constantly providing assistance to the affected people in terms of food, and medical aid and extending communication facilities to civilians and tourists stranded in North Sikkim. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has also approved the release of both the installments of central share of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to Sikkim, amounting to Rs 44.80 crores in advance, for the year 2023-24, to help the state in providing relief measures to the affected people. Apart from this, the Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) will visit the affected areas of Sikkim shortly. Based on the assessment of IMCT, further additional Central assistance from the National Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to Sikkim will be approved, as per the laid down procedure. Meanwhile, the government of Sikkim has issued another glacial lake burst issue and has issued an advisory to tourists, urging them to delay their travel plans over the risk of explosives and ammunition that have been washed away from an army camp in the flash floods. With inputs from ANI