After a valley in the mountainous northeast Sikkim state was ripped apart by a strong flash flood brought on by heavy rainfall, the Indian army reported Wednesday that 23 soldiers were missing.
The Teesta River saw a flash flood as a result of a rapid cloud burst over Lhonak Lake in North Sikkim, according to a statement from the army. “23 personnel have been reported missing and some vehicles are reported submerged under the slush,” the army added.

“Search efforts are ongoing.”

The lonely region is close to the boundary between India and Nepal, and Lhonak Lake is situated at the foot of a glacier in the snow-capped peaks that encircle Kangchenjunga, the third-highest mountain in the world.

The river was already more than 4.5 metres higher, according to the army, because of water released from the Chungthang dam upstream.

Flash floods are common during the monsoon season, which begins in June and normally withdraws from the Indian subcontinent by the end of September. By October the heaviest of the monsoon rains are usually over

Experts say climate change is increasing their frequency and severity.