Central team to visit flood-hit Sikkim from October 8 to assess damage: Union MoS

In response to the devastating flash floods caused by a glacial lake burst in Sikkim, an inter-ministerial central team is set to visit the flood-ravaged state from October 8 to assess the extent of the damage, as announced by Union Minister Ajay Kumar Mishra.

Union Minister Mishra, who serves as the Minister of State for Home Affairs, arrived in Sikkim on October 8 for a two-day visit to the Himalayan state. During his visit, he held a crucial meeting with Chief Secretary V B Pathak and senior officials of the state government, army, and other organizations.

Mishra assured the state administration of the central government's unwavering support and assistance in dealing with the aftermath of the flash floods. He stated, "The Centre is closely monitoring the situation in Sikkim, and all the necessary support and assistance for the state is underway."

The meeting included officials from various key organizations, including the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Border Roads Organisation (BRO), National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDC), and NHPC.

Mishra also conveyed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah are in constant contact with Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang to coordinate rescue and relief efforts carried out by the army and the state administrations.

An inter-ministerial team, comprising senior officers from five central ministries, namely agriculture, road transport & highways, water resources, energy, and finance, will visit Sikkim starting from October 8. Their primary objective will be to assess the damage caused by the flash floods and provide assistance wherever necessary.

Mishra further stated, "The team will visit Sikkim from tomorrow to take stock of the ground situation, assess the extent of damage, and provide assistance wherever necessary."

To aid the flash floods-affected people, the Centre has approved the release of Rs 44.8 crore as an advance amount from the central share of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to Sikkim.

Mishra stated that PM Modi stands in solidarity with the people of Sikkim and will leave no stone unturned to restore normalcy in the state. He urged state government officials to prepare both short-term and long-term plans to efficiently rebuild the damaged infrastructure in the shortest possible time.

The Minister of State appealed to the people of the Himalayan state to take the situation as a challenge and overcome it with unwavering positivity, aiming to restore normal life as soon as possible. He commended the tireless efforts of Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang in managing the crisis.

The flash flood in Sikkim, triggered by a cloudburst, has thus far claimed 30 lives, with four more bodies discovered on Saturday. However, the number of missing people has reduced to 81, according to the Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA).

The calamity has affected 41,870 people across four districts of the Himalayan state, with Mangan being the most severely affected, impacting a population of around 30,300.

Union Minister Mishra expressed appreciation for the efforts of the Sikkim administration, army, BRO, ITBP, and all other agencies for working in coordination with the state government to carry out rescue, relief, and restoration work.