India's Himalayan glacial lake in the northeast burst its banks and caused a flood that left at least 18 dead and hundreds of others missing.
On Thursday, officials said that amid the chaotic situation, rescuers were being hampered by washed-out bridges and fast-flowing rivers. The Wednesday burst of Lhonak Lake in Sikkim state caused major flooding that affected the lives of 22,000 people in the region.
India's Himalayan Lake Bursts
The incident is considered the latest deadly weather event in South Asia's mountains, blamed on climate change. In a statement, a defense spokesperson said that search operations were conducted under incessant rains, fast-flowing water in Teesta River, and roads and bridges washed away.
The state disaster management agency said that as of early Thursday, 26 people were reportedly injured while 102 were missing, 22 of whom were army personnel. As per NBC News, authorities also said that 11 bridges had been washed away by the flooding.
Video footage showed floodwaters from the glacial lake surging into built-up areas where several houses collapsed, army bases and other facilities were damaged, and vehicles were submerged.
Additionally, satellite images showed that nearly two-thirds of the lake seems to have been drained of its water. The country's weather department warned of potential landslides and flight disruption as more rain is expected to fall over the next two days in several parts of Sikkim and neighboring states.
A member of the Sikkim Legislative Assembly, G T Dhungel, said that gas and diesel had already become scarce in the state capital of Gangtok but noted that, fortunately, food was easily available.
The situation comes as climate scientists have warned that the floods pose an increasing danger across the wider Himalayan mountain range and the melting that is causing them to the entire world, according to CBS News.
Raging Floodwaters
An Indian Army spokesman, Himanshu Tiwari, said that floodwaters have caused havoc in four districts of the state, sweeping away residents, roads, and bridges. The army said it was working to re-establish telephone connections and provide "medical aid to tourists and locals stranded because of the floodwaters.
Himalayan glaciers are found to be melting faster than ever due to climate change, which is exposing communities to unpredictable and costly disasters. The Sikkim state government also said that water powered downstream and added to a river that was already swollen by monsoon rains, causing damage to a dam, sweeping away houses and bridges, and causing "serious destruction."
Additionally, the incident prompted officials in neighboring Bangladesh to be on alert as a state-run water development board official warned that five districts in the northern part of the country could be inundated with a rise in the level of the Teesta River.
The director of Sikkim's Disaster Management Authority, Prabhakar Rai, described the situation as "slightly grim" as rescue operations are muddled by bad weather. He noted that the conditions mean they cannot have air service towards the northern part of the state, said Reuters.
