Rahul condoles deaths in Sikkim flash floods, asks party cadres to aid relief efforts

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday mourned the loss of lives in Sikkim flash floods and urged the party workers to cooperate with the administration in the relief works.

In a post on Facebook in Hindi, Gandhi said, "Death of many people in the floods triggered by cloudburst in Sikkim is extremely sad. My condolences to all the bereaved families."

"Congress workers are requested to cooperate with the administration in all relief work. I hope for the safe return of all the citizens, including our soldiers, who are missing," he added.

Condoling the same, party general secretary (organization) K.C. Venugopal said, "Pained by the news of 14 deaths and 100 plus people missing in the Sikkim flash floods. These extreme weather events are deeply concerning, with the Centre not taking necessary steps to bring relief or to rehabilitate the victims."

"As Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge ji has demanded, both the Sikkim as well as Himachal Pradesh floods must be declared national disasters and a comprehensive relief package be announced to restore these states and undo the damage," he added.

Earlier in the day, while condoling the loss of lives in the Sikkim cloudburst and subsequent flash floods, the Congress President said that such tragedies, also including the recent rain-related calamities in Himachal Pradesh, should be declared as national disasters by the Centre.

Drawing a similarity between the two, Kharge said that the Centre "must recalibrate its strategy in dealing with ecologically fragile Himalayan states and must declare such tragedies, like Sikkim and Himachal Pradesh, as national disasters so that these states get adequate funds to rebuild themselves in a more sustainable manner".

On Wednesday, the Defence PRO in Guwahati said that one soldier has been rescued so far while search and rescue operation by the Army continued for the remaining 22 soldiers who went missing after the sudden cloudburst over the Lhonak Lake in north Sikkim.

Release of water from the Chungthang dam led to further sudden increase in water level upto 15-20 feet high downstream, the Army spokesman said.

"Sudden increase in water level has led to Army vehicles parked at Bardang near Singtam getting affected," he said.

The Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority has said that in Pakyong district, 59 people including 23 Army personnel have been reported missing, while at least five people were confirmed dead. The National Disaster Response Force has deployed three teams in the affected areas and rescued many people.