New Delhi: The power station of National Hydroelectric Power Corporation’s (NHPC) Teesta Stage 5 dam in Sikkim was destroyed by a huge landslide on Tuesday morning. Fortunately, there were no injuries or casualties reported due to the incident, thanks to evacuation from the power station a few days back. The evacuation was carried out as the 510 MW power station was already under threat from frequent minor landslides over the past few weeks. The power station is located at the base of a hill, a portion of which came rolling down on Tuesday morning.
The videos of the landslide were recorded by those working near the power station. In the videos, a huge chunk of the cliff can be seen sliding down and covering the power station with debris.
Massive landslide in Singtam, #Sikkim
Power station of NHPC’s 510 MW Teesta Stage 5 dam destroyed.#rain pic.twitter.com/wXtRvY2koD
— s (@Snehamtweets) August 20, 2024
The Stage 5 dam has remained non-operational following the Lhonak glacial lake burst after a cloudburst in Sikkim in October 2023. The lake burst had triggered flash floods. Major parts of the Teesta Dam at Chungthang, the biggest hydropower project in Sikkim, were swept away in the flash floods.
The videos of the October incident showed huge portions of the dam’s wall washed away as the menacing Teesta water hit it with massive current in North Sikkim’s Mangan district.