Sikkim forms task force to trace residents hit by Nepal flash floods

The Sikkim government has set up a task force to provide relief and other necessary assistance to people from the state who may be stranded or missing in the flash floods in Nepal, an official said on Friday.The task force, headed by Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority Director Prabhakar Rai, will coordinate with the Centre, the Indian Embassy in Nepal and other agencies to gather information about residents of the state affected by the disaster."

It will collect, compile and verify information regarding persons reported missing, stranded, injured, deceased or otherwise affected in the incident," the official said, citing a notification issued on Thursday.The official said the task force will also establish communication with the families of affected Sikkim residents and facilitate the exchange of verified information about their status and whereabouts.In Nepal, the death toll from the flash floods in the central part of the country rose to 469 on Friday as more bodies were recovered.

So far, 1,545 injured and stranded people have been rescued from different affected areas. Of them, 84 are undergoing treatment at various hospitals in Kathmandu.Search and rescue operations continued for the third day, with 7,451 security personnel deployed, including 2,391 Nepal Army personnel, according to a Nepal Police statement.An ice-rock avalanche triggered by a glacial collapse near the Nepal-Tibet border sent a torrent of water, mud and debris downstream through central Nepal on Wednesday, devastating towns and villages, sweeping away homes, vehicles, roads and bridges, and damaging hydropower projects.

The Sikkim government has said its task force will work with relevant agencies and families as efforts continue to trace and assist affected residents from the state.- EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Aug 28, 2026 12:20 IST