Sikkim flash floods: Mortal remains of 8 Army personnel recovered

New Delhi: The mortal remains of eight Army personnel, who were part of a group of soldiers that went missing following flash floods in Sikkim, have been recovered, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Saturday.

Twenty-three Army personnel went missing in Sikkim after a cloudburst triggered massive flash floods in the Teesta river on Wednesday. One soldier was rescued later that day.

In a post on X, Singh said he is deeply pained by the tragic loss of precious lives, including eight Army personnel, in the flash floods.

He said operations to rescue the remaining 14 soldiers and missing civilians are underway.

"Deeply pained by the tragic loss of precious lives including eight Army personnel in the recent flash floods arising out of glacial lake burst in Sikkim," Singh said.

"Out of the 23 missing soldiers, one was rescued while mortal remains of eight brave soldiers were recovered. Their sacrifice, while being deployed in forward areas in the service of the nation, will not be forgotten," he said.

"Search operations to rescue remaining 14 soldiers and missing civilians are underway," the defence minister added.

The flash floods have affected over 25,000 people, damaged more than 1,200 houses and washed away 13 bridges in Sikkim, according to the state government.