The major earthquake that rocked Sikkim may turn out to be a major disaster as a NHPC dam in north Sikkim developed crack and gushing water has started inundating low lying area forcing hundreds of families to flee for life soon after the tremors.
Security sources at Mangan in North Sikkim, which is believed to be the worst-hit, confirmed at least six deaths while informing that 80 per cent of houses in Gangtok, capital of Sikkim have also developed cracks.
Though, no official of NHPC could be reached to get the exact damage incurred on its Teesta Hydroelectric Dam project, the office of DG Sikkim told this newspaper over telephone that they have been reported by local police that gushing water of the NHPC dam was inundating the area and hundreds of residents are fleeing for safety with their families towards hill areas.
The senior state government officials have rushed to the area. The entire state has plunged into darkness as power supply to the state was also disrupted.
The mudslides at various places have blocked the movement on roads in different areas. The worst, officials said, was feared in the Sikkim-Nepal border region, where apart from mudslides cracks were visible on the roads. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the epicentre of the quake was on the Sikkim-Nepal border.
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Darjeeling,jalpaiguri hit badly, 4 kille
TANYA BAGCHI
Kolkata, Sept. 18
Strong tremors were felt in West Bengal as well after an earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale shook Sikkim on Sunday evening.
Although the epicentre of the quake is said to be 64 km north-west of Gangtok, the tremors were strong enough to plunge many districts of North Bengal into darkness as electricity supply got snapped. Four persons were reportedly killed in Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri, the districts which were worst-hit, till reports last came in.