Team Blitz India
NEW DELHI: The Union Government has assured all possible help to the flood-ravaged state of Sikkim and approved the release of both the instalments of its share of State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), amounting to Rs 44.80 crore in advance, for the year 2023-24.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has approved the release for providing relief measures to the state’s affected people. Further, to assess damages, the Ministry has constituted an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT), which will visit the affected areas shortly.
Based on the assessment, further additional Central assistance from National Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to Sikkim will be approved, as per laid down procedure, according to a Ministry statement.
Incidentally, cloudburst and flash floods killed 21 people in Sikkim on October 4. The surge of water washed away parts of National Highway-10 and several bridges.
The flash flood in the Teesta River, triggered by the cloudburst in Lhonak Lake, led to the accumulation of a large quantity of water. This breached the Chungthang Dam, destroying the power infrastructure before moving downstream, flooding towns and villages.
