Video Captures Moment Landslide Hits Teesta Dam Power Station

Guwahati: A massive landslide damaged parts of a National Hydroelectric Power Corporation's (NHPC) Teesta Stage 5 power station in Sikkim on Tuesday morning. The 510 MW power station, which had been threatened by frequent minor slides in recent weeks, was buried under debris when a large section of the adjacent hill collapsed.

The landslide happened at Dipu Dara near Singtam around 7 am, causing significant damage to the powerhouse of the Teesta Stage V hydroelectric project of the NHPC, officials said.

Around 17-18 houses were also damaged by the landslide, following which the affected families were moved to the NHPC quarters, they added.

Fortunately, no injuries or casualties were reported as the station had been evacuated days earlier due to ongoing landslide concerns. Videos taken by nearby workers show a section of the cliff shifting before a large portion falls onto the power station amid screams.

The Stage 5 dam has been out of service since the Lhonak glacial lake burst following a cloudburst in Sikkim in October 2023. This cloudburst caused a severe flash flood that damaged sections of the Teesta Dam at Chungthang, Sikkim's largest hydropower project.

Videos revealed significant sections of the dam's wall missing, allowing the rising Teesta River to flow through unchecked in Mangan district, North Sikkim.