Sikkim: Teesta River Swells Amid Heavy Rainfall, Snaps Bridge

A section of the under-construction Sankalang Bridge in North Sikkim was swept away by the swollen Teesta River on Sunday, following intense and relentless rainfall across the region. The incident has severely disrupted road connectivity to remote areas including Dzongu, Chungthang, Lachung, and Lachen, for whom this bridge serves as the only vital link to the rest of the state.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Mangan district, warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall, while an orange alert has been sounded for Gyalshing, Namchi, Soreng, Gangtok, and Pakyong districts for the next 24 hours. The Teesta’s water level has reportedly risen by over four metres, exacerbating the flood risk and hampering rescue efforts.

VIDEO | A portion of the under-construction Sankalang Bridge in North Sikkim is washed away by the Teesta River following heavy rainfall.

The bridge is crucial for North Sikkim, as it is the only connection linking Dzongu, Chungthang, Lachung, and Lachen to the rest of the… pic.twitter.com/1Wa4Pcy5nu

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 1, 2025

Meanwhile, search and rescue operations entered the second day in the Mangan district as teams continue efforts to locate nine people missing after a tourist vehicle plunged nearly 1,000 feet into the Teesta River near Chubombu on May 29.

#WATCH | Mangan, Sikkim: Water level of the Teesta river increases following heavy rainfall in the region.

(Source: IPR, Mangan) pic.twitter.com/ahXPLSXkjJ

— ANI (@ANI) June 1, 2025

Sonam Detchu Bhutia, Superintendent of Police, Mangan, confirmed that two of the 11 passengers had been rescued on the night of the incident, while the remaining nine — including six tourists from Odisha, two from Tripura, and two from Uttar Pradesh — remain untraced. The vehicle, reportedly lodged in heavy debris, could not be retrieved.

“We conducted search operations with ITBP, SDRF, and NDRF personnel, but found no bodies near the vehicle. Rainfall and cloudbursts in the upper reaches have worsened the situation. Roads are broken at multiple locations,” SP Bhutia stated.

Rescue Volunteer Anand Gurung from the Tourism Department added that road blockages have forced backup teams to halt several kilometres from the site:

“Our team couldn’t reach the location today. The roads ahead are completely blocked. No vehicle can pass through.”

Amid this crisis, landslides triggered by torrential rain have caused widespread damage to property in the region. According to the district administration, the worst-affected areas include Theeng and Chungthang, where multiple structures were damaged.

The IMD has urged all residents to avoid non-essential travel, stay indoors, and maintain a safe distance from riverbanks and landslide-prone slopes, as weather conditions are expected to remain critical over the coming days.