Landslide in Sikkim
The situation in Sikkim has worsened due to continuous rain. Six people have died here and around 1500 tourists are stranded. Rain is still continuing in many areas of the state. Due to this, the danger remains. There are many mountain lakes in Sikkim, in which when there is excess water, landslides start happening and after this a large amount of water falls down simultaneously. This causes a lot of destruction. Last year, in a similar incident, a dam was washed away, through which a power plant with a power generation capacity of 1200 MW was to be built.
This time, the government is already alert to avoid accidents caused by landslides and many lakes are being monitored through satellites. Due to heavy rains, communication lines in North Sikkim have been damaged and this part of the state is cut off from the rest. In October 2023, there was a glacial explosion in South Lhonak Lake situated at an altitude of 5245 meters in North Sikkim. It came down with debris and hit the Teesta dam and the dam burst. This caused a lot of devastation. Many bridges were washed away, more than 100 people died and many went missing.
bridge shed in sangkalang
A newly constructed bridge collapsed at Sangkalang, cutting off Mangan from Dzongu and Chungthang, officials said. The landslide blocked roads and submerged and damaged several houses, while electricity poles were swept away. Towns like Dzongu, Chungthang, Lachen and Lachung in Mangan district, known for popular tourist destinations like Gurudongmar Lake and Yunthang Valley, have been cut off from the rest of the country. “Three people each were killed in Pakshepa and Ambithang villages,” Mangan District Magistrate Hem Kumar Chhetri said. Several houses were damaged in Gyethang and Nampathang. Chhetri said a relief camp has been set up at Pakshepa for the displaced people.
Mobile network affected in North Sikkim
Due to the landslide, the Bringbong police post was shifted to a nearby place, while the foundation of a bridge in Sankalan was damaged. Officials said that due to continuous rain and landslides, mobile network is affected in North Sikkim. At the same time, the district administration requested to send a team of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) with ration to Mangan. An ‘earthmover’ machine has been deployed near Mangshila Degree College to remove debris from the road.
Chief Minister Tamang will return to Sikkim soon
Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, who is in Arunachal Pradesh to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Pema Khandu, interacted with officials of the North District administration, police and other departments to ensure quick response to the disaster. In a statement, Chief Minister Tamang said, “Efforts are underway to provide all possible assistance to the victims and affected families. Work is being done to provide rehabilitation assistance, temporary settlement arrangements and to meet basic necessities. The state government stands firmly with the victims of this disaster and promises to provide maximum assistance to the bereaved families and all those affected and displaced by the landslide.”
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