Shillong, October 6: Sikkim’s Chief Minister, Prem Singh Tamang, attributes the destruction of Chungthang Dam to substandard construction practices, India Today reported.
The report states that the dam succumbed to the force of a flash flood in the Teesta River, triggered by a cloudburst in Lhonak Lake. The torrential waters wreaked havoc on the dam and its associated power infrastructure before coursing downstream, causing widespread flooding in towns and villages.
Cutting off connectivity to the northern part of the state, this calamity also led to the destruction of 13 bridges, with eight in Mangan district, three in Gangtok, and two in Namchi.
Tragically, the death toll from the Sikkim flash floods has reached 21, with 15 army personnel still missing.
The Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA) reports that over 2,411 people have been evacuated and housed in relief camps, affecting more than 22,000 individuals.
The town of Chungthang suffered the most, with 80 percent of it severely impacted, and the vital NH-10 lifeline sustaining significant damage at various points.