A massive landslide at Dipu Dara near Singtam in East Sikkim on Tuesday morning led to the collapse of the power station of National Hydroelectric Power Corporation's (NHPC) Teesta Stage 5 dam.
The major chunk of a hill that fell, had been under risk by frequent minor slides in the past weeks and it buried the 510 MW power station in debris.
Several people captured the moment when the landslide struck the mountain and the videos showed that large sections of the dam's wall were gone, and the rising water from the Teesta River flowed through the damaged area in North Sikkim’s Mangan district.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has reached the site and is conducting rescue operations as some staff members may have been inside, reported India Today. While NDTV reported that an evacuation was done few days ago following frequent landslides in the area and so far no injuries or casualties have been reported from the site.
The debris from the landslide has blocked the Teesta River with boulders and mud, increasing the risk of flooding downstream.
Officials have warned that once the blockage is cleared, the Bengal region may experience heavy water flow, potentially leading to further complications.
The Stage 5 dam has been out of service since the Lhonak glacial lake burst after a heavy rainstorm in Sikkim in October 2023.
The storm caused a huge flash flood that damaged parts of the Teesta Dam at Chungthang, the largest hydropower project in Sikkim.
