TNI Bureau: At least 23 Army personnel reportedly went missing in the Teesta river in Lachen Valley of Sikkim due to a sudden flash flood this morning.

According to Defence PRO, Guwahati, the flash flood occurred due to a sudden cloud burst over Lhonak Lake in North Sikkim:

The intensity of the flash flood was so high that even some Army vehicles, which were parked at Bardang near Singtam, have been submerged in the flash flood.

Source said that the flash flood occurred and the water level rose up to 15-20 feet high downstream after water was released from the Chungthang dam.

Soon, Chief minister Prem Singh Tamang swung into action and took stock of the flood-like situation.

Meanwhile, a search operation has been launched to trace the missing army men.