BBC covers what the Indian National Media missed: The 04Oct2023 GLOF disaster in the Teesta valley

The BBC has today covered the 04Oct2023 GLOF disaster in the Teesta valley here and although the report by Cherylann Mollan, Mumbai has many glitches and errors, I welcome BBC's coverage merely because the National Media has covered it too sketchily or missed it out altogether and the Central and State Governments of Sikkim and W Bengal seem to think the GLOF incident was too insignificant, affecting too few to be bothered about.
Of the many errors in the report, I can point out a few glaring ones:

• The 04Oct2023 disaster has somehow been named the 'Sikkim flood disaster' which precludes large downstream areas in Kalimpong district (W Bengal) which were also badly affected by the GLOF. This has been made worse by W Bengal government not even considering the event, a disaster.
• In all probability, what triggered the GLOF was a large landslide or an avalanche and NOT a cloud burst as mentioned by the BBC. Read here
• The GLOF which started from South Lhonak Lake (elevation approx 17,300') late in the night of 03Oct2023, wrecked many areas around Lachen but the first major town (not nearby village) it devastated was Chungthang (elevation 5,500') approximately 62km downstream and where the Sikkim Urja Stage III 1200MW dam was located. The dam was destroyed by the GLOF which hit Chungthang at 12.35am on 04Oct2023.
  
  What remains of the 1200MW SIkkim Urja StageIII dam at Chungthang (Photo date: 18Nov2023)
  

We were in North Sikkim between 17-19Nov2023 and our reports on the devastation in Chungthang town and its vicinity may be read here

Drone photo of devastation in Chungthang town (Photo date:18Nov2023)

I totally agree with Mathew Payne's (the School of Geography, Geology and the Environment at the University of Leicester) statement in the BBC article:

"This catastrophe is a stark reminder of the escalating challenges faced by the verdant Himalayan regions and the increasing magnitude of flooding events necessitates resilient infrastructure capable of tolerating climate-induced excessive rainfall"

which is why we emailed our report and recommendations on the 'Teesta valley GLOF disaster'  to the NDMA and SDMA's of Sikkim and W Bengal on 10Nov2023. The recommendations are essentially short term, aimed at tackling the Monsoons of 2024 which are just 3 months away.

We are yet to receive any reply to our report.

My thanks to BBC for this report on the 04Oct2023 Teesta Valley GLOF disaster.

Praful Rao
Kalimpong district
Darjeeling-Sikkim Himalaya
savethehills@gmail.com
0475033744

Photographic record of the impact of 04Oct2023 GLOF on NHPC assets at SIngtam, Sikkim

BALUATAR, SINGTAM (27 15 1.8 N  88 27 34.1 E)

While returning from our visit to North Sikkim on 19Nov2023, we stopped by at Baluatar, Singtam to check the impact of the GLOF on the large NHPC complex there. It consists of the NHPC Stage V (Dikchu dam) power station, the Office of CEO, LANCO Teesta Hydro Electric Project, quarters for NHPC officers and personnel, a Kendriya Vidyalaya school, hospital and shopping complex .

View of the damage from NH10.

The damage to the assets has been huge with the bridge connecting the opposite bank at Baluatar washed away:

The whole area was deserted so we could not check when this area was hit by the GLOF, their experience or ascertain what was damaged except that which was immediately visible to us:

Damaged machinery outside the Stage V Power Station.

The raw power of nature is evident from these steel rods which have been bent and torn off. From photographs on the internet, there was a playground here and a lot of trees and greenery. The GLOF has swiped away everything and dumped almost 10 feet of sludge/sand  here.

Damaged electrical components of NHPC Stage VI dam complex at Baluatar

What appears to be a workshop covered with tons of sludge. A bus lies partially buried in the debris.

A structure excavated from approx 12 feet of sludge at the NHPC Stage VI complex.

 

NHPC TEESTA STAGE VI Hydro Electric Project Barrage at Sirwani, SINGTAM             (27 14 34.9 N  88 28 37.8 E)

The barrage, with what appears to be ruins of the bridge (see map) which was swept down by the GLOF

Literally every crevice and nook along the path of the GLOF has been filled up with millions of tree stumps. The destruction of forests by the GLOF should be quantified to know how much was lost to the floods.
This is the STAGE VI dam at Sirwani, SIngtam on 19Nov2023.

Praful Rao
Kalimpong district
Darjeeling - Sikkim Himalaya
savethehills@gmail.com
9475033744

with

Praveen Chhetri
Junkeri Studios,
Kalimpong
junkeristudio@gmail.com
9733185815

Photographic record of the impact of 04Oct2023 GLOF at Melli bazar and its vicinity -13Nov2023

Melli (27 05 24.2 N 88 27 29.6 E) Elev 232.9m, is a place which straddles the Teesta river. In South Sikkim, it is a small town, whereas in W Bengal (Kalimpong district) it is a transit place on NH10, Kalimpong district ,W Bengal.
We visited Melli during our survey of Teesta bazar on 10Oct2023 but could not access Melli (Sikkim) because the road from the bridge to the Melli town was closed to traffic.

On 13Nov2023, more than a month after the GLOF event I could make it to Melli town (Sikkim) with Prof Malay Mukul (Dept of Earth Sciences, IIT Bombay). Malay is from Kalimpong and was on a brief vacation here. These are some images from our visit on 10Oct2023:

Drone image (by Praveen) of the Melli ground  and stadium with the Teesta river nudging the edges of the complex.

Shredded parts of NH10 with a view of Melli town (Sikkim) from the opposite bank.

An excavator had started removing sand and sludge from the stadium on 10Oct2023.

Images from our visit on 13Nov2023 to Melli.

A dumper at the Melli ground belonging to SML company had been excavated along with the first floor of the several buildings at the rear.

The wreckage of another vehicle lay at the edge of the Melli stadium. Excavation of the sand, debris and sludge was continuing but seemed a humongous task considering the almost 10-15feet of sand that was dumped everywhere. Prof Malay Mukul can be seen in the background taking some readings.

Another view of the Melli stadium with buried vehicles strewn all over. Notice how close the river had come to the main town during the GLOF. In the distance and across the river is the IRCON railway tunnel.
This was the area which was most affected in Melli town (Sikkim) by the GLOF event.

A sombre Milan Gurung (48yrs) stands at his home near the Melli stadium with the Teesta river lapping up the edges of what used to be his front yard. He told us that 3 new vehicles from SML company were swept away here along with a large liquor storehouse.
He squarely blames the inundation of his home on the dumping of excavated tunnel material on the opposite bank by the IRCON project. He says the river first hit the huge IRCON debris on the opposite bank and rebounded from it, to flood his home and 10 houses around the stadium.
Milan Gurung told us the river was never so close to his home earlier and was fearful about living here now.

Debris at the opposite end of the stadium.
Residents of this area said the sewage treatment plant of Melli town was located here and it was either swept away or buried.

Dangerously poised GLOF affected buildings on the W Bengal side of Melli Bazar.
The problem is that there are so many weakened structures like these, everywhere with the river nibbling away at the base.

Images of Tribeni (at the junction of Rangeet and Teesta rivers)

Image of the GTA Covid Hospital at Tribeni on 10Oct2023.

Image of the GTA Covid Hospital at Tribeni on 13Nov2023.
Rangeet river water is distinctly green whereas that of the Teesta is still laden with silt and brown.
Road to GTA Covid Hospital at Tribeni on 13Nov2023
A large section of road (approx 300m) from Teesta bazar  to the GTA Covid Hospital at Tribeni is still submerged - with the river having regained its lost territory.

The river submerges the road here (27 04 6.8 N 88 25 39.7 E) just 10 mins walk from the Teesta bazar. Sadly, this place has now become a dumping ground for solid waste.

The road remains under water for a long time until it reaches here (27 04 14.4 N 88 25 49.2 E) where it climbs out of the river.

My thanks to Prof Malay Mukul for taking time off to visit these places. I will update his inputs in a separate blogpost.

Praful Rao
Kalimpong district
Darjeeling-Sikkim Himalaya
savethehills@gmail.com
9475033744

GLOF from South Lhonak Glacier: Excerpts and images from a scientific paper of 2021 and satellite images of Oct2023 from NRSC of affected areas.

The GLOF from South Lhonak glacier in North Sikkim on 04Oct2023, impacted many areas of Sikkim as well as Kalimpong district in W Bengal GLOF. STH has blogged about this is several (recent) previous blogs.

An excerpt from a scientific study done on the South Lhonak Glacier and  published in 2021 is placed below:

Images (from the above paper) also show the growth of Chunthang town over the years and other areas which were at risk.

 

Satellite images from NRSC

Can't say there was no warning - just that no one listened or believed.

Praful Rao
Kalimpong district
Darjeeling Sikkim Himalaya
savethehills@gmail.com
9475033744

Photographic record (18Oct2023) of Geil khola section of NH10 - post Lhonak Glacier GLOF.

One of the main casualties of the devastating Lhonak glacier GLOF on 04Oct2023 was the road communications and that too mainly the impact of the floods on NH10 which is the lifeline for the landlocked, mountain state of Sikkim and of Kalimpong district in W Bengal. Of the approx 114km distance from Siliguri to Gangtok, 65kms of NH10 winds itself along the banks of the Teesta.
More than two weeks after the GLOF of 04Oct2023 which shredded the highway at many places the road communications from Gangtok to Siliguri along NH10 has not been restored till date - neither the state highway which connects Darjeeling to Teesta Bazaar.

On 18Oct2023, I photographed the above section of NH10 from the sheer cliffs of Kalimpong district which overlook the highway from the opposite hill - with the intention of preserving the images of what was an extraordinary event for us living in this region.

The above image of Oct 2021 shows a very active landslide (A) at 29th Mile on NH10 (27 01.013N 088 26.087E) and Bangay bazar (B) on the banks of the Teesta.

Telephoto Image of NHPC's TLDPIII and parts of Bangay bazar on 18Oct2023, submerged by the GLOF. Dam operations on TLDPIII has been stopped by the local political party (GTA) for the time being. Do notice the width of the Teesta river and the color of its water which indicates it is still loaded with silt.

                                       A very active 29the Mile landslide zone in 2021.

This year the 29th Mile landslide remained stable even during the GLOF period.

Close up view of the same area on 18Oct2023. The huge mounds of sand on the right bank indicate river levels during the GLOF. NH10 also appears to have been eroded at places.

Likhu Bhir (27 02.181N 088 25.661E) was the most serious landslide on this route decades ago (see image below). After being relatively stable for years, it was reactivated by the GLOF. One can see trucks carrying construction material plying over the slide.

Geil khola (27.028965N 088.427644E) was one of the places which was hit by the GLOF of 04Oct2023. Notice the partly buried homes on the river bank. The District Administration has set up a relief camp at Geil Khola.

Geil khola and its surroundings on 18Oct2023.

Geil Khola - Likhu bhir section of NH10 on 18Oct2023.

It seems ironic that the Kalimpong element of Darjeeling Himalaya Railways (DHR) which used to operate the narrow gauge train from Siliguri to Geil Khola, discontinued its Kalimpong operations after the 1950 disaster in our region.

Damage to DHR tracks in Darjeeling by the June 1950 disaster (photo kind courtesy Das Studio, Darjeeling)

File photo of the Geil Khola - Teesta Bazaar section of NH10 in May 2017.

The same section of the road after the GLOF - notice the level and size of the Teesta river and the many places eroded on NH10.

This place is in the vicinity of the Teesta bridge. The erosion of the road along the banks of the Teesta can be seen here.
Will the NHPC TLDP III dam operations under circumstances where the level of the river has now risen significantly affect NH10?
Also the safety of the thousands of vehicles which will ply on the highway when it is reopens and especially during the monsoons of 2024 are questions which need to be pondered upon.

Praful Rao
Kalimpong district
Darjeeling Sikkim Himalaya
savethehills@gmail.com
9475033744