23 Army personnel missing as cloudburst triggers flash flood in Sikkim

As many as 23 Army Personnel have gone missing in Sikkim after the state witnessed flash floods in the Teesta River in Lachen Valley that were triggered by a sudden cloud burst.With search operations currently underway, authorities have reported that some Army vehicles have been submerged in the flash flood.According to the Army's Eastern Command, water released from the Chungthang dam led to a sudden increase in water levels up to 15-20 feet high downstream.Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, while visiting the affected areas, said, "Nobody has been injured but there has been significant damage to public property. Some people have also been reported missing in Singtam. Relief operations are on."BJP leader Ugyen Tshering Gyatso Bhutia said, "There has been no loss of life but public properties have been damaged in Singtam. There is information about some people missing. Efforts are underway to find them."The northeastern state has been experiencing heavy rains since last night. The government has issued a high alert to all residents.The Indian Meteorological Department said that the Teesta River is swollen after the lake in Sikkim's Chungthang overflowed."Low-lying areas such as Gazoldoba, Domohani, Mekhaliganj and Ghish may be affected. Please be alert," it said.