Sikkim cloudburst: Teesta water levels recede, but alert still on

Gangtok: A day after cloudburst caused heavy rain in the upper reaches of Teesta river in North Sikkim, forcing the Teesta-III hydropower project management to release 600 cumecs of water from the Chungthang dam on Monday, water levels have gone down by about 3-4 ft, East Sikkim DC Kapil Meena told reporters on Tuesday.

However, an alert is still on for people living downstream of Teesta-V dam, especially Adarsh Gaon in Singtam area, who have been asked to take adequate precautionary measures, Meena added.

According to Meena, all precautions have been taken and teams set up for the safety of people, especially the ones living in the lower belts of Teesta river.

Meanwhile, as per reports, the NHPC Guest House located near Dickchu bridge has been washed away. Similarly, the Mantam foot suspension bridge has collapsed in Upper Dzongu. As an aftermath, Sakyong-Pentong, Bay and some other  villages of Upper Dzongu have been totally cut off.

All road connectivity has been cleared except the Chungthang-Lachen stretch that has been blocked at Munsithang and several other points. Efforts were underway to clear the roads till the filing of this report.

As per some other reports, about 60 tourist vehicles were stranded between Lachen and Zema 3. Tourists were being evacuated to Lachen.

Also Read: WATCH: Cloudburst in Sikkim, alert sounded in Chungthang, Lachen

Due to bad weather, no permits are being issued to tourists for Lachen, Lachung and Dzongu area till further order. The NDRF team located at Pakyong has been directed to move immediately to Singtam to extend help.

Meanwhile, Sikkim chief minister PS Golay has directed the East Sikkim and North Sikkim DMs to take all necessary precautionary measures and closely monitor the water levels of Teesta river to prevent any damage to life and property.

“I am extremely concerned to hear about the cloudburst somewhere near Chungthang. I pray for the safety of people living in low-lying areas like Singtam, Rangpo and Dickchu, and appeal them to take precautions and stay away from any kind of danger. I also call upon the local administration to take immediate necessary action to avoid any mishap and ensure that no one suffers due to this natural calamity,” Sikkim Democratic Front president and former CM Pawan Kumar Chamling said.