Centre forms team to assess damage by glacial lake outburst flood in Sikkim

 NEW DELHI: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has constituted an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) to make an assessment of damages caused by a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) leading to a surge in flows in the Teesta River and causing a flash flood in Sikkim on October 4, in which several people have died and many are missing. In a statement, the MHA said the central government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was standing shoulder to shoulder with Sikkim. It said that the central government has assured all possible help to the government of Sikkim.

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah has approved the release of both the installments of the Central Share of State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to Sikkim, amounting to Rs 44.80 crore in advance for the years 2023–24, to help the state provide relief measures to the affected people. “Further, to make an assessment of damages caused by a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) or Cloud Burst or Flash Floods, the MHA has constituted an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT), which will visit the affected areas of the state shortly,” it said. “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,” it said.

The MHA said that in the early hours of October 4, due to incidents of GLOF, cloudbursts, or flash floods, there was a sudden surge in flows in the Teesta River, which washed away several bridges, parts of NH-10, and the Chungthang Dam and has impacted several small towns and several infrastructure projects in the upper reaches of the river valley in Sikkim. The situation in Sikkim is being closely monitored by the central government at the highest level on a 24x7 basis. The central government is providing full support to the Sikkim government by mobilizing timely logistics resources to supplement the efforts of the state government to deal with the situation effectively.

The logistics support provided includes the deployment of adequate teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Indian Air Force helicopters, and Army personnel, along with necessary search and rescue equipment. Further, technical teams of the Ministries of Power, Telecommunications, and Roads, Highways, and Transport are assisting in the timely restoration of damaged infrastructure and communication networks in the state, it added. (IANS)

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