Siliguri (Bengal): Continuous rain has wreaked havoc in North Sikkim, with the official death toll from rain and landslide-related events standing at six.
The heavy downpour has caused the water level of the Teesta river to rise, severely impacting parts of Kalimpong district in North Bengal. On the afternoon of June 16, a new and massive landslide occurred in Kalimpong’s Likhuvir area. Additionally, the river swept away roads in the Deogram area of Teesta Bazar, affecting the lives of those who live in the multi-storey buildings along its banks.
Fear and concern over further damage has gripped the area, with the Teesta river now flowing over National Highway 10 in Kalimpong’s Dhobikhola area, leading to the closure of the highway.
In Melli, Sikkim, a significant landslide has occurred along the riverbank. While the 1,215 tourists stuck at Lachung and Chungthang in Sikkim are safe, their return routes are blocked. The Border Roads Organisation has stated that although the tourists are not in immediate danger, the situation remains precarious.
A yellow alert was issued on Sunday for both protected and unprotected areas of the Jaldhaka river along National Highway 31, as well as in the Teesta Mekhliganj area near the Bangladesh border.
“The water current in the river is much stronger due to the rain. Many places have experienced landslides. It will take some time to repair them. Families residing in houses near the river have been relocated to safer places. We are closely monitoring the entire situation,” said Shreehari Pandey, the Kalimpong Superintendent of Police
The army has been preparing to rescue the stranded tourists once the weather improves. The Met office has forecast heavy rain for the next week in Sikkim and North Bengal. Significant damage has occurred along the Teesta river in both West Bengal and Sikkim.
The central government has pledged Rs 500 crores to address the immediate repair and restoration of NH-10, Bharatiya Janata Party’s Raju Bista, who was re-elected the MP from Darjeeling, has said. In a written statement, posted on social media, Bista said, “The central government is preparing a DPR under the supervision of scientific and terrain experts for rebuilding NH-10, and expanding it by further 10mtrs, for which a budget of Rs 2000 crores will be additionally sanctioned.”
Raju Bista, Darjeeling MP, by the Teesta. Photo: Official Facebook account.
The landslides, erosion and crisis of this year comes after a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) in the South Lhonak Lake in North Sikkim during the night of October 3-4 last year led to widespread damage.
As water rushed down from the mountains, a large quantity of rocks, soil, and sand caused the Teesta’s riverbed to rise, leading to flooding with the onset of monsoon and pre-monsoon rains. These rains have submerged villages particularly in North Sikkim, but have also disrupted connectivity between Kalimpong and Darjeeling at various stretches of which the river has flown onto the roads. There is also a risk of falling boulders – felt most acutely at Likhuvir.
“Due to increased rainfall in the higher regions of Sikkim, the water level in the Teesta is rising. Erosion has started on the national highway at Melli, the entry point from West Bengal to Sikkim. The Mangan, Gethang, Chungthang Nampathang, Brimbong, Pakship, Ambythang areas of North Sikkim still remain inaccessible. Mobile service is also down. The situation is being monitored with all necessary precautions officially in place,” stated Balasubramanian T, the Kalimpong District Magistrate.
Locals point to the construction of 47 hydroelectric projects and 14 railway tunnels on the Teesta, which obstruct its natural flow and increase silt accumulation, raising the riverbed above the plains.
Environmental activists have long since warned about the dangers of extensive construction in this earthquake-prone area, located in seismic zones IV and V.
“Unchecked development along the Teesta River is creating a ticking time bomb for nearby cities like Siliguri and Jalpaiguri. Hills are being carved at, disrupting the natural environment and altering the river’s course,” said Animesh Basu of the Himalayan Nature Foundation in Siliguri.
“Excavated materials are being dumped directly into the river, while dams built for hydropower projects trap sediment. This combined effect is causing the riverbed to rise above the surrounding plains, threatening future floods for these low-lying cities,” Basu added.
The Teesta river bank is often used for agriculture. Photo: Joydeep Sarkar.
Summer is tourist season in Sikkim and the north Bengal hills. However, the Sikkim government has taken a cautious approach this year. Since April, the administration has banned tourist visits to Gurudongmar Lake, one of Sikkim’s main attractions. Mangan District Magistrate Hem Kumar Chettri said there were high-risk mountainous areas that tourists are now no longer allowed to visit.
This heightened alertness in Sikkim is primarily based on an ISRO report, which said that the volume of water in lakes formed from glaciers in the Himalayan region has increased by 87%. The size of some lakes has doubled in recent years, while others have grown by one and a half times. Overall, the size of 676 lakes has increased in the region. Of these lakes, 130 are located in India.
The long-term changes in the Ghepang Ghat Glacial Lake area, represented in the ISRO report.
Among these, 65 lakes are in the Indus river basin, seven in the Ganges river basin, and 58 in the Brahmaputra river basin. Concerns have arisen regarding the geographical location of these lakes. Of those whose sizes have dangerously increased, 314 are situated at an altitude of 4,000-5,000 meters above sea level, and another 296 are located at over 5,000 metres. Consequently, several lakes in Sikkim have grown significantly due to melting ice, raising concerns about the impact of this additional water volume in the region
“Heat waves, intense rainfall, and harsh winters are all intensifying, potentially leading to a much larger catastrophe. Thanks to advancements in science, we now have a better understanding of threats like rising Himalayan glaciers and the severity of floods on the Teesta river. By acknowledging the possibility of more extreme weather events, we can leverage the power of science to save lives. Bangladesh, for example, has successfully reduced disaster deaths by utilizing technology for early evacuations,” said environmental scientist, Professor Moloy Mukherjee.
Translated from the Bengali original and with inputs from Aparna Bhattacharya.
