The number of missing people now is 81 for whom search operations are on in full swing, the Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA) said in its latest bulletin on Saturday evening.
The flash flood triggered by a cloudburst in the early hours of Wednesday affected 41,870 people in four districts of the Himalayan state, with Mangan bearing the brunt of the calamity as a population of around 30,300 were hit by the disaster, it said.
Four Districts in Distress
The other three affected districts are Gangtok, Pakyang and Namchi.
Of the 30 deaths - four were in Mangan, six in Gangtok district, 19 in Pakyong and one in Namchi.
The report said that the 19 deceased people in Pakyong included nine army men. Twenty-three soldiers had gone missing on October 3 and one of them was rescued earlier.
Intensive Army Efforts in Search and Recovery
The Army continues to search for the remaining missing personnel. Special radar, drones and Army Dogs have been employed for the job.
Of the 39 army vehicles that had also gone missing that day, 15 were recovered so far from below slush several feet deep, officials said.
Central Ministry Team to Assess Damage
Union minister Ajay Kumar Mishra said that a team comprising senior officers of five central ministries - agriculture, road transport & highways, water resources, energy and finance - will visit the northeastern state from Sunday to assess the damage caused by the flash flood.
"The team will visit Sikkim from tomorrow to take stock of the ground situation, assess the extent of damage and provide assistance wherever necessary," the union minister of state for home affairs told reporters here.
Mishra asked the state government officials to prepare short-term and long-term plans to effectively accomplish the task of rebuilding the damaged infrastructure in the shortest possible time.
Financial Relief Approved
The Centre has approved the release of Rs 44.8 crore as an advance amount from the central share of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to Sikkim to provide relief to flash floods-affected people.
Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang on Saturday visited the disaster-affected areas in north Sikkim and inspected damaged infrastructures.
He also chaired a meeting with Zilla and ward members of Toong Naga Gram Panchayat Unit alongside representatives of GREF, BRO and officials of concerned departments.
During the meeting, it was decided to immediately establish a route for transportation to bring in relief materials by road.
