Sikkim Disctricts cut off

Ravangla, Sikkim : More than 15 landslips on state highways have cut off South and West Sikkim from the rest of the state.

Rabongla in South district, 65km from Gangtok, remains inaccessible from all sides even as heavy rain continue to fall in the hill state. The Singtam-Rabongla road has seen as many as 11 landslips while the Namchi-Rabongla route via Damthang has been closed because of an uprooted tree. The mudslip at 5th Mile, Samdruptse, on the Damthang-Namchi road was a major one and it will take some time to clear the debris, district officials said.

Many of the agencies maintaining the routes said they were facing labour shortage. “There are so many landslides. In addition to that, there are not enough mud removing machines and bulldozers,” said a state government official.

Gyalshing, the West district headquarters, remains cut off because of landslides near Tashiding Fatak, close to Legship. Debris from the hill side accumulated at Kalej Khola has blocked the Legship-Jorethang route. Similar is the condition of the Rabongla-Yangang route because of a massive landslide near Pathing.

In East Sikkim, damage to houses and property was reported from Central Pendam and Khamdong constituencies. A house was flattened at Bhurung Gaon in Central Pendam while 13 others have been declared unsafe.

Block development officer (BDO) of Duga Robin Sewa said the entire village of Bhurung has sunk about 1.5 feet. Officials from the state mines and geology department have also visited the area.

More than 20 houses have been damaged in Khamdong constituency in East Sikkim. One house was partially washed away in Beng Khamdong, while 27 houses in Dung Dung, Thasa, Simik Aritar, Lingzey and Thangshing villages have been declared unsafe.

The roads to Khamdong also remain closed with landslides at three places. According to the BDO of Khamdong, Karma Loday Lepcha, relief will be provided to families which have been shifted to safer locations.

Source: The Telegraph