Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang announced an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh for the family members of the deceased.
Digital Desk: Officials reported on Friday night that 26 bodies, including seven Armymen, had been recovered from the Teesta river's flash flood debris and mud so far, as the search for the 142 people who are still missing continued.
Over 25,000 people have been affected by the flash flood, which was caused by a cloudburst in the early hours of Wednesday. It has also destroyed more than 1,200 homes and washed away 13 bridges, bringing the scenic Himalayan state to its knees.
As many as 6,875 people are currently residing in 22 relief camps set up across the state, the majority of which has been shut off from the rest of the nation, and 2,413 people have already been rescued from various locations.
Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang announced an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh for the family members of the deceased and an immediate relief of Rs 2,000 per person for everyone taking refuge in the camps.
"There have been damages totaling thousands of crores of rupees. We are unable to provide precise information regarding the damage. Once a committee is established and its analysis is finished, it will be made public. Our top objective is to rescue individuals who are stuck and give them quick relief, he said in a PTI Video interview.
"The districts' road connections have been severed, and bridges have been destroyed by flooding. Communication in North Sikkim has been severely affected," he added.
The bodies of seven of the 23 Army men who went missing from Bardang have been found in various locations downstream of the Teesta, while one of them was discovered previously.
According to the chief minister, searches are still being conducted in Sikkim and the northern regions of West Bengal, where the Teesta runs, for the remaining missing soldiers.
According to a defence statement, goods and vehicles belonging to the Army were found in Bardang, and tracker dogs and specialised radars had also been used to aid in the search.
The Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA) said in its latest bulletin that a total of 16 people, including seven Army members, perished in the Pakyong district, while six people died in Gangtok and four people died in the Mangan district.
The chief minister claimed to have spoken with President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and a number of Union ministers, including Home Minister Amit Shah.
"They have told me that the state will receive all necessary help," Tamang stated.
Shah has given his approval for the central portion of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to provide an early payment of Rs. 44.8 crore to help those in need.
According to an official release, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has also established an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT), which will shortly visit the affected Sikkim districts to assess the damage brought on by a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF), a cloudburst, and flash floods.
A cloudburst in Lhonak Lake caused a flash flood in the Teesta river, which diverted towards the Chungthang dam and destroyed the power infrastructure before moving downstream in spate and devastating towns and villages.
It must be noted that a total of 13 bridges were destroyed by the flood in the state, eight of which were lost in the Mangan district. Two bridges in Namchi and three in Gangtok were both destroyed.
With 80% of its area severely damaged, Chungthang town bore the brunt of the flood most significantly. The NH-10, which is regarded as the state's lifeline, suffered severe damage in multiple locations.
According to the defence statement previously cited, surveys are being conducted by all authorities to evaluate the damage and plan the restoration of road connectivity. It also stated that the road link between Singtam and Bardang has been restored with the clearance of a single lane for vehicular traffic.
The chief minister also guaranteed the evacuees free medical care and logistical help up to Siliguri, the biggest city in the area, for anyone who are from outside Sikkim and working here and wish to return home.
He blamed the "flawed and substandard" developmental methods of the previous governments to the criticism received from various quarters over the development of hydel power projects in the vulnerable Himalayas.
Additionally, he slammed the opposition for playing politics with a natural disaster.
Senior officials reported that despite repeated attempts by the Air Force to send Mi-17 helicopters, bad weather prevented them from reaching the roughly 3,000 tourists trapped in North Sikkim.
"The deployed Mi-17 helicopters were unable to fly from Bagdogra as well as Chaten due to the bad weather, low-lying cloud cover, and poor visibility conditions in the valleys of Lachen and Lachung, an official said. The IAF made multiple attempts to carry out rescue and relief operations by Mi-17 helicopters," the official said.
If the weather cooperates, the aerial rescue operations should get back up early on Saturday, he said.
Samdup Lepcha, the minister of roads and bridges, and DIG (North & East districts) Tashi Wangyal Bhutia travelled on foot to Chungthang from Dzongu in order to assess the situation.
Over the next five days, the majority of locations in Mangan district are likely to see mild to moderate rain, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
It stated that Lachen and Lachung are anticipated to stay foggy during this time.
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