A flood alert has been sounded in several areas in north Sikkim and parts of neighbouring Bengal after a massive cloudburst inundated the upper reaches of Teesta river. The Teesta river is flowing over the danger mark after the cloudburst.

A cloudburst was reported in the Teesta III Chungthang water reservoir, sources said. The river has five dams and the cloudburst is likely to have cascading effect on other dams too. Teesta III has so far released 600 Cumecs of water from its Chungathang dam.

As many as 60 tourist vehicles have been stranded in North Sikkim after the cloudburst, District Collector Raj Yadav said. Efforts are underway to evacuate the stranded tourists first to Lachen and then to Gangtok possibly by Tuesday.

Chief Minister PS Golay has asked authorities to clear the road as soon as possible for passage of the vehicles carrying tourists to their respective destinations, news agency PTI reported.

Villages living near the river bank have been told not to panic, however, they have been advised not to go to river side for fodder, firewood or fishing.

Emergency services are on standby and teams of the State Disaster Response Fund from Gangtok and the NDRF base camp at Pakyong have been deployed in the areas where flood alert has been sounded.

With inputs from PTI