Sikkim death toll rises to 27, search on for 140 still missing

The 27 victims included eight soldiers who died due to the flash floods, which were triggered by a cloudburst on Wednesday.

The cloudburst and floods have affected more than 25,000 people, damaged more than 1,200 houses and washed away 13 bridges as well as an entire dam in the picturesque Himalayan state, officials said.

According to the Land Revenue and Disaster Management Department, the body of one more soldier was found in neighbouring West Bengal on Saturday.

Of the 27 fatalities, four were from Mangan district, six in Gangtok district, nine in Pakyong and eight soldiers, the officials said.

So far, 2,413 people have been rescued from different areas and 6,875 people are taking shelter in 22 relief camps across the state. Most of Sikkim remains cut off from the rest of the country.

Massive destruction

The flash floods have mostly affected people in four districts: Mangan, Gangtok, Pakyong and Namchi.

Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang has announced ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh for the families of the deceased and an immediate relief of Rs 2,000 each for all those taking shelter in the camps.

"There have been damage worth thousands of crores of rupees. We cannot give exact details about the damage… Our first priority is to save those who are stranded and provide them immediate relief," he told PTI Video.

"Road connectivity between the districts has been cut off and bridges have been washed away," he added.

The search for the remaining missing soldiers is continuing both in Sikkim and the northern parts of West Bengal, the chief minister said.

(With agency inputs)