Sikkim flash floods: Power Ministry reviewing impact of flash floods on central hydro power projects

Officials reported that a cloudburst above Lhonak Lake in North Sikkim in the early hours of October 4 caused a flash flood in the Teesta river basin, leaving 14 dead so far and 102 people, including 22 Army personnel, missing

The Power Ministry is monitoring the situation arising out of flash floods in the Teesta Basin in Sikkim. Pankaj Agrawal, Secretary (Power) held an emergency meeting on October 4 with NHPC wherein senior officers of the Ministry of Power and Central Electricity Authority were also present.

A press release from the ministry stated that due to flash floods in the Teesta Basin on the intervening night of October 3 and 4, all the bridges downstream to Teesta-V Hydropower Station up to Tarkhola/Pamphok have been submerged/washed out thus severely affecting commutation and communication in these areas. The flood water overtopped the dam of Teesta V Power Station (510 MW). All connecting roads to the project sites as well as parts of the residential colony have been severely damaged, it added.

According to officials, Army and NDRF search teams continued to struggle through the mud on October 5 in the Teesta basin and downstream north Bengal in search of victims, who were washed away in the flash flood.

Officials reported that a cloudburst above Lhonak Lake in North Sikkim in the early hours of October 4 caused a flash flood in the Teesta river basin, leaving 14 dead so far and 102 people, including 22 Army personnel, missing. According to the Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA), 22,034 individuals have been affected by the disaster, while 2,011 people have been saved.

Also read: Exclusive: At least three hydropower projects of 2,210 MW affected in Sikkim flash floods 

Presently, the power station is under shutdown and not generating electricity. NHPC had evacuated its personnel in time from its projects and ensured that they were shifted to safer places. However, one casualty was reported from Teesta V power station.

Ongoing works of under construction hydro project Teesta VI (500 MW) of NHPC have been disrupted by the natural disaster.

However, no major damages have been observed in TLDP-III (160 MW) (Teesta Low Dam - III Hydropower Plant) and TLDP-IV (132 MW) power stations located in the downstream West Bengal state. Both the power stations are safe but kept in shutdown condition due to heavy siltation brought along with the flood water.