Jalpaiguri (West Bengal): In the wake of the deadly flash floods caused by a cloudburst over Lhonak Lake in North Sikkim on Wednesday morning, 17 more bodies were recovered from the Teesta River in West Bengal on Thursday taking the death toll in the tragedy to 31 in the two states.
The 17 bodies were fished out after a massive search operation carried out by the Indian Army, NDRF, and police and local administration in Jalpaiguri. Earlier, 14 bodies were found while 102 people, including 22 Army personnel, remained missing after the cloudburst over Lhonak Lake in North Sikkim triggered a flash flood in the Teesta river basin.
The Army is trying to identify the 17 bodies recovered in Jalpaiguri. Mortars and other weapons used by the army, and car parts were also recovered from Teesta River. Army, along with NDRF, Civil Defence and Police started a rescue operation from Teesta River. All the bodies are believed to have floated from Sikkim.
Guwahati Chief Public Relations Officer (Defence) of the Ministry of Defence Lieutenant Colonel Mahendra Rawat said that 23 soldiers were missing after the disaster in Sikkim. "One of them was rescued alive yesterday. He is now under treatment. 22 army soldiers are still missing. The Search operation is on. Trishakti Corps is conducting a search," Rawat said.
According to various Police station sources, 8 of the bodies were recovered in Mainaguri police station area, two in Jalpaiguri Sadar Block, two in Mekhliganj, two people in Kranti block, two in Malbazar Block, and three in Takimari area. Mainaguri police station incharge Tamal Das said, "Eight bodies were recovered from Mainaguri area. Among them one child, one woman and 6 men."
Malbazar police station incharge Sujit Lama said that two bodies, one male and one female, were recovered in the area.
