GANGTOK: Twenty-three soldiers are missing in Sikkim after a cloud burst triggered flash floods. The reason for the sudden flooding is the release of water from the Chungthang dam after a cloud burst in the area. This led to an increase in water level by up to 20 feet downstream. The incident happened Wednesday morning at 1.30 am.

Some establishments along Lachen valley have been affected. Release of water from the Chungthang dam led to a sudden increase in water level up to 15-20 feet high downstream. 23 personnel have been reported missing and 41 army vehicles are reported submerged under the slush. Search operations are underway to trace the missing personnel.