Northeast Desk, 22nd October: Sikkim’s Chief Minister, Prem Singh Tamang, arrived at Chungthang 19 days after a devastating dam burst triggered flash floods, causing widespread damage at the Teesta Stage III dam and the Teesta basin. His visit aimed to assess the scale of destruction resulting from the calamity.
During his visit, Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang engaged with residents in Chungthang and evaluated the distribution of relief to the affected families. He was welcomed by Lachen Mangan MLA Samdup Lepcha, alongside Ratan Singh Sonal, Commandant of the 11th Battalion of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Mangan District Magistrate HK Chettri, and Sub-Divisional Magistrate Kiran Thatal from Chungthang. The Rural Development Minister, Sonam Lama from Gangtok, accompanied the Chief Minister during his visit.
For those unfamiliar with the situation, Sikkim, a mountainous state, was struck by a catastrophic flash flood on October 3, which led to extensive damage. Overflowing river and lake waters disrupted crucial routes, effectively isolating the state from the rest of the country. Tragically, the disaster has claimed the lives of over 70 individuals, with several others still missing.
In the midst of this crisis, security forces are tirelessly working to restore transportation routes and reopen highways that had been closed due to the flooding, aiming to reconnect Sikkim with the rest of the nation.