On June 9, the state of Sikkim in Northeast India was hit by a major landslide caused by heavy rainfall, wreaking havoc among the population. The incessant rainfall and subsequent landslides continued in various parts of the region over the next few days, causing severe damage to roads, bridges, and homes. About 1,500 tourists, including international visitors, were stranded in northern Sikkim and later rescued.
Just a year ago, in October 2023, the region experienced a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) – one of the worst natural calamities in Asia – that affected about 88,400 people. The GLOF occurred in South Lhonak Lake in northern Sikkim, rupturing one of the region’s highest dams on the Teesta River, the Chungthang or Teesta III dam, enabling the floodwater to gain unprecedented velocity and engulf everything in its downstream areas, including 23 Indian Army soldiers. The Sikkim state government requested financial assistance of 200 billion Indian rupees from New Delhi to restore the damage caused by the GLOF.
[...]