Massive Landslide Destroys NHPC’s Teesta Stage 5 Power Station in Sikkim

GG News Bureau
Agartala, 20th August. In a devastating incident, a massive landslide on Tuesday morning obliterated the power station of the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation’s (NHPC) Teesta Stage 5 dam in Sikkim.

The landslide occurred after a major portion of the adjacent hill, which had been experiencing frequent minor slides in recent weeks, gave way and buried the 510 MW power station under debris.

Fortunately, there were no injuries or casualties reported, as the power station had been evacuated days earlier due to the ongoing threat of landslides.

Videos captured by nearby workers show a portion of the cliff shifting before collapsing onto the power station, with audible screams in the background.

The Teesta Stage 5 dam has been non-operational since October 2023, when a cloudburst over the Lhonak glacial lake triggered a massive flash flood.

This catastrophic event severely damaged the Teesta Dam at Chungthang, the largest hydropower project in Sikkim, leaving major portions of the dam’s wall missing and allowing the Teesta River to flow freely through it in North Sikkim’s Mangan district.