Teesta Dam Power Station Destroyed After Major Landslide in Sikkim

Guwahati: In a devastating incident on Tuesday morning, the power station of the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation’s (NHPC) Teesta Stage 5 dam in Sikkim was destroyed following a massive landslide. The power station, which had been under threat due to frequent minor landslides in the area, was engulfed by debris when a large portion of the adjacent hill collapsed.

Background: The 510 MW power station was evacuated a few days prior to the incident as a precautionary measure, given the increasing frequency of minor landslides. This decision likely prevented any injuries or casualties, as no one was present at the time of the major landslide.

Eyewitness Accounts: Videos recorded by nearby workers captured the moment the hillside shifted. In the footage, a large section of the cliff can be seen detaching and crashing down onto the power station, followed by the sound of people screaming in shock.

Context: The Teesta Stage 5 dam had been rendered defunct since October 2023 after the Lhonak glacial lake burst following a cloudburst in Sikkim. The resulting flash flood caused significant damage to the Teesta Dam at Chungthang, the largest hydropower project in Sikkim. Videos from that time showed extensive damage, with large portions of the dam’s wall missing as the swollen Teesta River flowed through the breach, particularly affecting North Sikkim’s Mangan district.

Current Situation: The latest landslide has compounded the challenges faced by the hydropower infrastructure in the region, raising concerns about the stability and future of such projects in landslide-prone areas.