Flash flood in India leaves more than a dozen dead, scores injured

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Cars lie submerged in water after flash floods triggered by a sudden heavy rainfall swamped the Rangpo town in Sikkim, India. Associated Press/Photo by Prakash Adhikari

Flash flood in India leaves more than a dozen dead, scores injured

A flash flood in northeast India’s state of Sikkim left at least 14 dead and over 100 missing. The flood caused major infrastructure damage, washing out several bridges. Authorities set up 26 relief camps to help the 22,000 people affected by the flood.

What caused the flooding? A cloudburst—extreme rainfall in a short period of time—caused the initial flooding. The rainwater washed away the Chungthang dam along the Teesta River, which severely worsened the flooding. The dam was a major part of the hydroelectric power system in the region.

Dig deeper: Read Joyce Wu’s report in World Tour on disaster relief after a recent flood in Libya.