Flash flood: Sikkim CS seeks relief, restoration reports from collectors of affected dist

Gangtok: Sikkim Chief Secretary V B Pathak on Saturday sought ground reports on relief and restoration work from collectors of four districts worst affected by the recent flash flood in the Himalayan state.

He chaired a review meeting, seeking the reports from the collectors of Mangan, Gangtok, Pakyong and Namchi districts to assess the status of the ongoing rescue, relief and restoration work in the flood-affected areas, and discuss further course of action.

The district officials apprised the chief secretary of the details of the rehabilitation of house owners and tenants displaced by the disaster and currently sheltered in relief camps.

Pathak also okayed a strategy for long-term restoration with regard to the reconstruction of houses, repair of shops and other infrastructure destroyed by the flash flood in Teesta River basin on October 4 triggered by a cloudburst over Lhonak Lake. The flood claimed at least 37 lives, including those of 10 army jawans, and left 80 others missing.

Meanwhile, air evacuation of the remaining stranded people in North Sikkim could not be undertaken during the day due to inclement weather.

As many as 4,357 people, including tourists, have been evacuated from the disaster-hit North Sikkim so far.