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Landslide hits East Sikkim, damages NHPC power project on Teesta
The landslide damaged about 17-18 houses, with six being evacuated. Affected families have been relocated to the NHPC Guest House in Balutar.
A major landslide hit East Sikkim on Tuesday, causing substantial damage to a 510-MW hydroelectric project on the Teesta river.
The landslide hit Dipu Dara near Singtam in Gangtok district around 7.30 am, severely impacting the powerhouse of the Teesta Stage V hydroelectric project run by National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC).
The GIS building of the project also sustained severe damage. A technical team from Delhi is set to visit the site to evaluate the situation and suggest restoration measures.
The landslide damaged about 17-18 houses, with six being evacuated. Affected families have been relocated to the NHPC Guest House in Balutar, which has been set up as a relief camp.
The landslide has also hit the Singtam-Dikchu road, making it inaccessible. However, a temporary diversion has been established through Dochum along the same route.
Gangtok's district collector Tushar Nikhare has requested the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) to commence immediate restoration work on the road. The BRO has assured that the road will be made operational as soon as possible.
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Meanwhile, the department of mines and geology has been tasked with conducting a thorough investigation of the landslide and provide recommendations for both short-term and long-term restoration efforts.
Earlier in June, tourists including some foreign nationals were left stranded in North Sikkim after landslides triggered by heavy rains cut off the region.
At least nine people died in landslides across North and South Sikkim, with several houses damaged. Power and communication lines were cut off, and roads and bridges were washed away by the landslides and the swollen River Teesta.
Tourists flock to popular high-altitude destinations in North Sikkim every year, such as Gurudongmar Lake and Yumthang Valley every year. In 2023, when the Himalayan state was hit by flash floods triggered by a glacial lake outburst, a few thousand tourists had to be airlifted and brought to safety.
With PTI inputs
