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A major landslide occurred at the NHPC Stage 5 dam site in Balutar, near Singtam town in Sikkim, at 7:30 am, damaging an NHPC GIS building and six residential houses. Significant cracks have also developed along the Singtam-Dikchu road, rendering it inaccessible.
The affected houses belong to local residents Kalu Chettri, Kul Bahadur Subba, Anand Tamang, Dhanraj Rai, Neeru Hangma Subba, and Taran Bahadur Chettri. All residents have been evacuated and relocated to the NHPC guest house in Balutar, which has been designated as a relief camp.
Due to the inaccessibility of the Singtam-Dikchu road, a temporary diversion has been set up through Dochum along the same road.
A technical team from NHPC in Delhi is expected to arrive to assess the damage and recommend measures for the site's restoration, according to the NHPC Plant Head.
The Gangtok District Collector, Tushar Nikhare, visited the landslide site and has instructed the Border Roads Organization (BRO) to begin immediate restoration work on the damaged road. The BRO has assured that the road will be made operational as soon as possible.
Additionally, the Department of Mines and Geology has been directed to conduct a detailed investigation of the landslide and provide recommendations for both short-term and long-term restoration efforts.
This article was first published on the website of EastMojo on August 20, 2024