The Indian army said on Wednesday that 23 soldiers were missing after a severe flash flood fueled by heavy rain ripped through a secluded valley in the mountainous northeastern state of Sikkim.
A video released by an Indian army official showed a thick stream of furious brown water sweeping down a densely forested valley, washing away roads and ripping down power wires.
“Due to sudden cloud burst over Lhonak Lake in North Sikkim, a flash flood occurred in the Teesta River… 23 personnel have been reported missing and some vehicles are reported submerged under the slush,” the army said in a statement. “Search operations are underway.”
The region is near to India’s borders with Nepal and China, and therefore has a significant military presence. Lhonak Lake is located at the foot of a glacier amid the snowy peaks that encircle Kangchenjunga, the world’s third highest peak.
According to the army, the river was already more than 4.5 metres (15 feet) higher than typical due to water discharged upstream from the Chungthang dam.
India has been apprehensive of its northern neighbor’s growing military assertiveness, and their shared 3,500-kilometer (2,200-mile) border has been a source of contention for years, with Beijing claiming sections of Sikkim.
Clashes in January 2021 near Naku La pass, which connects Sikkim with Tibet on the Chinese side, resulted in injuries on both sides.
China and India, who fought a border war in 1962, have stationed tens of thousands of troops along the border.
Flash floods are widespread during the monsoon season, which begins in June and typically ends in September across the Indian subcontinent. The heaviest monsoon rains are usually over by October.
Experts say climate change is increasing their frequency and severity.
Streets swamped
Water was submerged on the first floor of buildings and rushing down a street in a town, with only the top of a small construction crane visible peeking out.
Prem Singh Tamang, Chief Minister of Sikkim, said emergency services were working to assist those affected by the devastating floods.
“I humbly urge all our citizens to remain vigilant and refrain from unnecessary travel during this critical time,” he wrote on social media.
People were being evacuated from the districts of Kalimpong, Darjeeling, and Jalpaiguri in neighboring West Bengal state and relocated to safer locations.
The monsoon occurs when summer heat warms the subcontinent’s landmass, causing the air to rise and suck in cooler Indian Ocean winds, resulting in massive amounts of rain.
Every year, though, it causes devastation in the form of landslides and floods.
Melting glaciers increase the volume of water, while unregulated construction in flood-prone areas worsens the situation.
Climate change is causing Himalayan glaciers to melt faster than ever before, exposing populations to unpredictable and costly tragedies.
Glaciers would melt 65 percent quicker between 2011 and 2020 than in the preceding decade, according to a report released in June by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD).
According to current emission projections, the glaciers could lose up to 80% of their current volume by the end of the century.