New Delhi/ Gangtok: The National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC), headed by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, on Wednesday reviewed the situation in Sikkim following flash flood triggered by a cloudburst over Lhonak Lake in North Sikkim late on Tuesday night.
Sikkim Chief Secretary, Vijay Bhushan Pathak joined the meeting via video conferencing and apprised the Committee about the latest situation in the state.
Reviewing relief and rescue measures of the central agencies and Sikkim government, the Cabinet Secretary emphasised that the evacuation of people stranded in tunnel of Chungthang dam and tourists may be taken up on priority basis.
Gauba further observed that additional teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) should be deployed and connectivity of road, telecom and power must be restored in the shortest possible time.
The Cabinet Secretary assured the Sikkim government that all Central agencies are ready and will be available for assistance.
During the meeting, Pathak briefed the NCMC, the high-level committee in India responsible for effective disaster management and crisis response at the national level, about the efforts of the State government in carrying out relief and rescue measures.
Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla informed the Committee that the situation is being monitored 24×7 by the Central Government at highest level.
He said both control rooms of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) are monitoring the situation and all possible help is being extended.
The NDRF has already deployed three teams and additional teams are on standby in Guwahati and Patna. Adequate number of teams and assets of Army and Air Force are being deployed to assist the state in rescue and restoration efforts.
As many as five people are dead and over 50 people including 23 Army personnel went missing and 41 vehicles submerged under the slush, even as authorities launched intensive search operations.
