Daily News Analysis

Sikkim flash floods - Chungthang dam

14 Oct,2023 Download Pdf 3 Min Read

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There is a popular folk tale in Sikkim about two rivers, the male Rangeet and female Rungnyu (Teesta), and how the Rangeet turned back angrily after losing a race.
In 2021, a protest song gave a modern twist to this tale, referring to the Teesta's rage at hydropower projects.
On October 4, 2022, the South Lhonak glacial lake in northwest Sikkim breached its embankments and burst.
This caused flash floods in the Teesta river basin downstream.
The floods swept away 14 bridges and damaged a major hydropower dam.
According to government data, the floods damaged 1,825 houses.
At least 94 people lost their lives and 78 are still missing.
Over 2,500 displaced people have been moved to 21 relief camps.
The song predicting the Teesta's rage at hydropower projects seems prophetic now after the glacial lake burst flooding.

The Sikkim flash floods 2023 has led to wash away of Chungthang dam by flooding of the Teesta River.
The dam and hydroelectric power station with 1200 MW capacity is located in Chungthang in Sikkim.
It is a run-of-the-river hydroelectric project commenced operation in 2017, used for power generation.
Teesta river:

The trans-Himalayan river is a tributary of Brahmaputra River.
It that traces through the states of Sikkim and West Bengal in India and Rangpur in Bangladesh.
Rangeet River is its main tributary

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