Gangtok, Sept. 9: As the rains stopped almost after a week today, reports of death and destruction poured into the capital from across the state.
In East Sikkim, a landslide claimed the life of a woman at Sumin village, 25 km from here. Devi Maya Subba (57) was buried alive on Friday night while coming back from her daughter’s house in the same village.
Over 150 houses have been damaged by the rains of the last few days, several of them severely, sources said.
Two villages near Melli Bazar in South Sikkim were the worst affected. In Chalisey, four houses were hit by a landslide while 20 more were partially damaged. In Mazigaon, a petrol pump is reportedly sinking.
“Relief and rescue operations are being carried out and nearly 70 people were evacuated and provided relief and food at the cooperative department near Melli. Police are helping with the relief work,” Tashi Chophel, the subdivisional magistrate of Namchi (South Sikkim headquarters), told The Telegraph after inspecting the areas today.
The South and West Sikkim highway from Melli to Jorethang remains closed with as many as 12 landslides littering the stretch. Restoration work could take several days, official sources said. The Temi-Damthang-Namchi road was opened today connecting the South district headquarters with East Sikkim.
The NH 31A remains blocked at Tarkhola where 30m of a bridge has been washed away. BRO officials told The Telegraph that efforts are on to build a Bailey bridge at the spot within the next few days.
The closure of the highway has raised fears of essential supplies running out in Sikkim. Petrol and diesel are being rationed from all outlets with one vehicle being allowed only 5l at a time according to district collector (East) Vishal Chauhan. “There is sufficient stock but we are making sure that there is no hoarding and blackmarketing,” he said.
However, there is already a shortage of LPG in all the districts. Prices of vegetables have doubled in the past ten days.
In East Sikkim, a landslide claimed the life of a woman at Sumin village, 25 km from here. Devi Maya Subba (57) was buried alive on Friday night while coming back from her daughter’s house in the same village.
Over 150 houses have been damaged by the rains of the last few days, several of them severely, sources said.
Two villages near Melli Bazar in South Sikkim were the worst affected. In Chalisey, four houses were hit by a landslide while 20 more were partially damaged. In Mazigaon, a petrol pump is reportedly sinking.
“Relief and rescue operations are being carried out and nearly 70 people were evacuated and provided relief and food at the cooperative department near Melli. Police are helping with the relief work,” Tashi Chophel, the subdivisional magistrate of Namchi (South Sikkim headquarters), told The Telegraph after inspecting the areas today.
The South and West Sikkim highway from Melli to Jorethang remains closed with as many as 12 landslides littering the stretch. Restoration work could take several days, official sources said. The Temi-Damthang-Namchi road was opened today connecting the South district headquarters with East Sikkim.
The NH 31A remains blocked at Tarkhola where 30m of a bridge has been washed away. BRO officials told The Telegraph that efforts are on to build a Bailey bridge at the spot within the next few days.
The closure of the highway has raised fears of essential supplies running out in Sikkim. Petrol and diesel are being rationed from all outlets with one vehicle being allowed only 5l at a time according to district collector (East) Vishal Chauhan. “There is sufficient stock but we are making sure that there is no hoarding and blackmarketing,” he said.
However, there is already a shortage of LPG in all the districts. Prices of vegetables have doubled in the past ten days.
