On 4 October 2023, there were heavy rains in Sikkim, India. Due to this rain, a lake on the Lhonak glacier overflowed, which created a big flood.[2] This flood that started at around 1:30 am in the night rushed towards the Teesta III Dam in Chungthang which was the biggest hydropower project in Sikkim and broke it in the middle of the night, before the dam's gates could be opened. As a result, the water in the Teesta River downstream rose a lot, as much as twenty feet in some places. This caused a lot of damage in the area and areas in the surrounding particularly in West Bengal were also affected.[3]
Casualties
Around 40 people were killed, while 26 others were injured and 102 others, including 23 army personnel, were reported missing of whom 1 soldier was rescued(saved from danger) and was said to be in stable condition.[4][5]
In West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district, two people lost their lives, and six others got hurt when they attempted to touch a mortar that was floating in the river. The mortar was likely been carried away by the sudden floods in Sikkim.[6][7]
References
