Five Nepalis missing in Sikkim floods come in contact

Mangalbare (Ilam), Oct 15: Five persons from Ilam who were incommunicado following the incidences of landslide and flooding in the Teesta River in Sikkim, India have come in contact with their families. It is said that they have recently established communication with their families by phone and social media.

The families of Sen Bahadur Karki, Kumar Basnet, Naramaya Basnet, Khusi Karki and Lhakpa Lama of Ilam Municipality-9 are happy and felt a great sense of relief after they contacted home 11 days since the disaster. Assistant Chief District Officer of Ilam, Dhruba Prasad Koirala said they have been informed by the families of the five persons that they have contacted home.

He said the five persons were on their way back home, according to their family sources. Power supply to places where the Nepalis were residing and surrounding areas was cut off after the flooding. It is said these people could not call back home as the means of communication were also dysfunctional for lack of electricity. The five people had gone missing after the flooding in the Teesta River on October 3.

A cloud burst over Lhonak Lake in north Sikkim resulted in a flash flood in the Teesta River in Lachen Valley on 4 October. At least 14 people died and 102 went missing. The flood in Sikkim that started around 1.30 am was made worse by the release of water from Chungthang dam. Several towns, including Dikchu, Singtam, and Rangpo located in the Teesta basin, were most affected.