Videos: Sikkim flash flood leaves trail of destruction, highway washed away

On October 4th, the northeastern Indian state of Sikkim was struck by a sudden cloudburst over Lhonak Lake in North Sikkim. This natural disaster triggered a devastating flash flood in the Teesta River within the Lachen valley.

The flood was so intense that it resulted in the washing away of 23 army personnel and submerging camps and vehicles. The Border Road Organisation (BRO) launched rescue operations and managed to safely evacuate 80 locals.

The calamity also led to areas such as Lachen and Lachung being cut off from the rest of the state.

The aftermath of the cloudburst and the ensuing flood has been widely shared on social media, with numerous videos circulating that depict the scale of the disaster.