Due to debris from the 2023 flood, the Teesta riverbed has risen significantly in the Kalimpong region, endangering homes and highways.
The consequences of a hydropower plant on the Teesta river that washed away in October of last year due to a breach in Sikkim’s South Lhonak glacial lake, were felt downstream in West Bengal’s Kalimpong district.
Teesta water levels exceeded the danger level on Thursday, eroding and submerging large sections of National Highway 10, a vital route that links Sikkim to the plains of north Bengal. Additionally, the local government noticed several cracks in the highway’s edge and took action to prevent cars from driving over the damaged sections.
Both the Authorities and villagers are concerned about the flood-like conditions along the banks of the Teesta, particularly in Melli, Teesta Bazar, and 28th Mile in Kalimpong. Earlier, authorities had moved residents to safer regions and evacuated some homes near the Teesta’s currently inundated banks. Furthermore, due to recent landslides in Sikkim and detours owing to Teesta-related damages, travel between Sikkim and locations in north Bengal, such as Kalimpong, Darjeeling, and Siliguri, was also impacted.
Kalimpong district magistrate Balasubramanian T told Scroll: “We estimate that the riverbed has increased by 10 feet at places like Teesta Bazaar, Melli and 29th Mile because of siltation caused by the wreckage of the Chungthang dam.”
Between June 13 and June 19, Sikkim received 230 mm of rain, 93% more than the normal, according to data from the India Meteorological Department.
Read more: https://thelocaljournalist.com/nepal-flood-landslides-floods-triggered-by-heavy-rain-kills-14/
