Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Gangtok: Torrential rain slammed West Sikkim on Wednesday, triggering multiple landslides that severed the main road to the district headquarters. Boulders and mud crashed onto the Gyalshing-Legship road, halting all traffic. Gyalshing saw 95.2 mm of rain in just 24 hours.
District officials received word of the slides around 9 p.m. Tuesday. The worst blockage hit near Omchung, just two kilometers from town. Road crews brought in excavators to clear the path, but the ground remains unstable. Persistent rain keeps the slopes moving, stalling the cleanup work.
At least three major slides choked the corridor. This road is the only link for supplies and emergency responders. Local leaders expressed frustration as past warnings about the monsoon dangers went unheeded. "Local representatives pointed out that the issue has been repeatedly raised at official review meetings, but long-term mitigation and restoration measures are yet to be implemented."
Residents are now cut off from the rest of the state. There is no alternative route available. Workers are still fighting the mud to reopen the lifeline.
Comments