<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;">In Sikkim, evacuation of stranded people from Mangan district's Lachen and Lachung continued today. So far, over 4300 people have been evacuated, over 2500 rescued, and over 3000 are sheltered at relief camps. Meanwhile, 78 are missing and the death toll stands at 37.</span></p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;"><br />''</span></p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Today, an Indian Air Force helicopter completed six sorties, evacuating 41 local residents from Lachen and 23 from Lachung; along with 45 Army personnel from Lachen and 40 from Lachung; 74 labourers from Lachen and 15 from Lachung; and five Sikkim Armed Police personnel. 18 ITBP personnel were also transported from Lachung to Gangtok. These sorties also carried fresh vegetables and dry ration along with fuel from Gangtok to Pegong and Lachung.</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br />''</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Separately, local authorities have completed the construction of a bamboo suspension footbridge across the Teesta River connecting Dzongu in Sangkalang, Mangan district. The bridge is being strengthened by engineers, forest officials, the Indian Army and local residents. It will benefit the cut-off people of Dzongu, providing them with a channel to reach Mangan. A zipline has also been constructed to ferry essential commodities to the people of Dzongu. The bamboo suspension bridge is roughly 79 metres long and 15 metres high.</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br />''</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">In other relief efforts, Sikkim minister for urban development department and food and civil supplies, LB Das, handed over exgratia of 4 lakhs rupees each to family members of the deceased under assistance from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) at Majhitar Relief Camp. An exgratia of 5000 rupees each was disbursed to 11 victims who lost their belongings in the flash flood.</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Meanwhile, the Sikkim information and public relations department has developed a website, <a href="http://www.sikkimflood23.in/" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.sikkimflood23.in&source=gmail&ust=1697288773282000&usg=AOvVaw3Yr7gXsXxmZZKZzq3ldAv3">www.sikkimflood23.in</a>, for disseminating accurate news and reliable information related to the flood in Sikkim.</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br />''</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br />''</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;">This website will offer information, reports and media files related to the flood in Sikkim. It will contain the latest news and updates, state government notifications, SSDMA reports, evacuation reports, important contacts, contact numbers of relevant persons, nodal officers, and relief camps as a one-stop resource centre. </span></p>