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Sikkim Landslides: 9 dead, evacuation of 1,200+ stranded tourists likely today. Red alert issued | 10 points to know
- Sikkim landslides: State government aims to evacuate over 1,200 tourists stranded in Sikkim's Mangan district due to road and communication disruption, weather permitting.
Sikkim landslides: More than 1,200 tourists stranded in Sikkim's Mangan district due to disruption in road and communication network are likely to be evacuated today i.e. on June 16 if the weather permits, a state government statement said, as reported by news agency PTI. Sikkim recently experienced two natural calamities: a landslide in Namchi district while another landslide in Mangan district on the nights of June 12 and 13.
Also Read: Monsoon Tracker: IMD issues red alert for Sikkim, Assam, Meghalaya and parts of West Bengal - Check details
Here are 10 points to know
1. As per the state government statement, The evacuation of tourists from Lachung would begin on Sunday through airlift and roadways, depending on weather conditions.”
2. According to Tourism and Civil Aviation Secretary CS Rao, approximately 1,215 tourists, including 15 foreigners, have been stranded in Lachung town for the past week. Incessant rains severely damaged the road and communication networks in the Mangan district, disrupting vehicle movements to and from the area.
eh3. Multiple landslides at various stretches including Dikchu-Sanklang-Toong, Mangan-Sanklang, Singtham-Rangrang and Rangrang-Toong, besides the collapse of the vital Sanklang suspension bridge, have severed connectivity to North Sikkim.
Also Read: Sikkim Government approves 4% dearness allowance hike for employees, pensioners
4. The disaster has claimed nine lives, three people lost their lives in the landslide in Namchi district whereas six people lost their lives in a landslide that happened on the intervening nights of June 12 and 13 in Mangan district, as reported by news agency PTI.
Also Read: SKM chief Prem Singh Tamang sworn in as chief minister of Sikkim for second consecutive term
5. State Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang has also announced an ex-gratia of ₹5 lakh each to the families of the deceased and also said that the government would rebuild the destroyed homes.
6. Speaking of the weather forecast for the state, IMD has issued a red alert over Sub-Himalayan West Bengal & Sikkim. As per IMD, “Sub-Himalayan West Bengal & Sikkim is very likely to get isolated heavy (64.5-115.5 mm) to very heavy (115.5-204.4 mm) with extremely heavy falls (>204.4 mm) on 15th & 16th June and and likely to get heavy (64.5-115.5 mm) to very heavy rainfall (115.5-204.4 mm) with extremely heavy falls (>204.4 mm) during 17th-19th June, 2024.”
Also Read: Monsoon may advance into parts of Maharashtra, Andhra and Bihar; heatwave alert in Delhi, UP: Check full IMD update
7. The Weather department also said that heavy to very heavy rainfall with isolated extremely heavy falls is very likely to continue over sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam and Meghalaya during the next 4–5 days.
8. The order further provided the contact numbers of the concerned staff for the stranded tourists. People can contact:
Rabi Biswakarma - 8768095881
Puspajeet Barman - 9051499096
9. While sharing an update on the road connectivity, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) on Saturday said it has mobilised huge manpower and machinery to restore road connectivity to North Sikkim. "The BRO under Project SWASTIK has swung into restoration efforts by mobilising huge manpower and machinery to restore connectivity to North Sikkim at the earliest," it said in a statement.
10. It further added, “Heavy earth-moving equipment has been deployed on the Dikchu-Sanklang-Toong Road to restore connectivity, with 10 km of road already being cleared from the Toong side towards Sanklang.”
(With inputs from PTI, and ANI)
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Business NewsNewsIndiaSikkim Landslides: 9 dead, evacuation of 1,200+ stranded tourists likely today. Red alert issued | 10 points to know
First Published:16 Jun 2024, 07:49 AM IST
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