Over the past few days, Sikkim has experienced relentless rainfall, leading to a series of devastating landslides. For the third day in a row, more than 1,200 visitors remained stuck in Lachung and other parts of Mangan, the northern Sikkim region devastated by flooding.
People Stuck In Landslides In Sikkim
❗️Huge Landslide Hits #Sikkim: One Dead, Five Missing
A deluge has swamped roads, homes, and buildings, and swept away electricity poles in areas around Mangan, officials said.
Our thoughts are with the affected families. Let's support the relief efforts in any way we can. pic.twitter.com/WBl94eP5At— Abiema Lisham (@AbiemaLisham) June 13, 2024
According to an article by Mint, if the weather permits, more than 1,200 tourists who were stuck in Sikkim’s Mangan district owing to a breakdown in the road and communication network are expected to be evacuated on June 16. Approximately 1,215 tourists, including 15 foreigners, have been stuck in Lachung town for the past week. Rainfall that never stopped seriously damaged the Mangan district’s roads and communication systems, making it difficult for cars to get to and from the area. On Sunday, the airlift and road evacuation of visitors from Lachung will start.
In addition to the crucial Sanklang suspension bridge collapsing, numerous landslides at different locations, including Dikchu-Sanklang-Toong, Mangan-Sanklang, Singtham-Rangrang, and Rangrang-Toong, have cut off access to North Sikkim. Nine individuals have died as a result of the tragedy; three died in a landslide in Namchi district and six died in a landslide that occurred in Mangan district on the evenings of June 12 and 13. Prem Singh Tamang, the chief minister of the state, also declared that the government will reconstruct the homes that were destroyed and offered the relatives of the deceased an ex-gratia of ₹5 lakh.
The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) said on Saturday that it has deployed a significant amount of labour and equipment to restore road connection to North Sikkim while providing an update on the state of the roads. One of the most immediate and visible impacts of the landslides has been the blockage of several key roads. Major highways and arterial roads that connect different parts of the state have been rendered impassable. The blockage of this highway has isolated Sikkim from the neighbouring state of West Bengal, cutting off the supply of essential goods and services.
Also Read: Sikkim Grapples With Heavy Rainfall That Has Triggered Landslides; Blocks On National Highway 10
IMD Issues Red Alert For Sikkim
[India] Sikkim floods BRO mobilises huge manpower and machinery to restore road connectivity https://t.co/EFsRLGNvg3 #ClimateChange #ClimateEmergency #ClimateCrisis #GlobalBoiling #SevereWeather #Flood #Landslide #Sikkim #Mangan #Sanklang #Naga #Himalayas #India pic.twitter.com/rervAMjKeM
— firehorse23 (@firehorse249791) June 15, 2024
The monsoon season, which typically brings heavy rainfall to Sikkim, has been particularly intense this year. IMD has issued a red alert for West Bengal and Sikkim in the Sub-Himalayan region. Up until about Saturday, several places, including Damthang, Gangtok, Tadong, and Ranipool, had between 50 and 90 mm of rain on the previous day. The Mangan district (North Sikkim) is on a red warning and until at least Tuesday, the other districts—Pakyong, Gangtok, and Namchi—are under an orange alert. West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam, and Meghalaya in the sub-Himalayan region are expected to see heavy to very heavy rainfall over the next four to five days, with isolated instances of extremely heavy precipitation.
Over the past few days, Sikkim has experienced nonstop rain. This has caused numerous landslides that have blocked roads, damaged several houses, killed cattle and poultry, and severed road connectivity.
Cover image credits: Representational Image (Canva)