GANGTOK, Sikkim: Rescuers battled heavy rains and cleared dozens of landslides while making their way to Sikkim, the ground zero of Sunday evening’s 6.8 magnitude earthquake that has so far claimed 74 lives across three countries – India, Nepal and Tibet, the Times of India (TOI) reported.
According to late-night reports, at least 58 people were killed and hundreds injured in Sikkim, Bengal and Bihar, in addition to nine deaths in Nepal and seven in Tibet. The toll is likely to rise, say rescuers. In Sikkim, the toll had reached 41. The maximum casualties have been in Rangpo, Dikchu, Singtam and Chungthang in north Sikkim. Ten persons have died in Bengal and seven in Bihar.
Tourists have been warned not to venture beyond Gangtok.
Nearly 6,000 army and paramilitary forces personnel were deployed for relief operations in Sikkim but till Monday evening only a handful could reach Mangan, the quake’s epicentre, and surrounding areas of north and west Sikkim, where the maximum damage has been reported.
The majority of the force, with equipment and vital supplies, were stuck at various locations with fallen trees, downed power lines and landslides – evidence of the deadliest earthquake to hit India in a decade – making major routes inaccessible. “The biggest challenge now is to get rescue teams to the affected areas,” said Sikkim information minister CB Karki.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team that landed at Bagdogra (near Siliguri in north Bengal) early on Monday had to wait till afternoon for the Gangtok road to be cleared. The team spent the night in Gangtok from where they will proceed to Mangan on Tuesday morning, hoping to reach the worst-hit areas by late evening.
“Our first task will be to restore communications links. Till then, the extent of damage will not be known,” an officer said.
Through the day, torrential rain and low clouds hampered movement of air supplies and threatened to trigger more mudslides. More rain is forecast for Tuesday in Sikkim and north Bengal.
Nearly everyone in Sikkim and Darjeeling spent Sunday night in the open as aftershocks triggered fears of a second wave of destruction. The earthquake damaged more than 1 lakh of the 1.2 lakh houses in Gangtok. Key buildings like the state secretariat, police headquarters and hospital have developed cracks.
Meanwhile, Nepal began to take stock of the havoc created by Sunday’s earthquake, the biggest since 1934. There were reports of the human toll rising to nine, with some claiming 10 deaths. The home ministry and police were yet to officially confirm the figures.
Power, water and telecommunication lines continue to be affected. Power was restored in Gangtok and some other areas after engineers gave the go-ahead to the Teesta unit. Schools will be shut for three days and offices have been asked to function only if the buildings have been declared safe.
Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee reached out to the affected areas in Kurseong on Monday, and promised all help to restore normal life. The Bengal government has announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the families of the dead. Mamata may visit Sikkim on Tuesday.
Sikkim chief minister Pawan Chamling held an emergency meeting with police chiefs and department secretaries to take stock of relief and rescue operations. The families of the dead will get a compensation of Rs 5 lakh and the injured Rs 50,000, he said. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has already announced Rs 2 lakh ex-gratia for families of those who had died and Rs 1 lakh each for the seriously injured.
In Darjeeling, also badly hit the earthquake, 15 army columns have been deployed in Kalimpong, Algarah, Rishi, Rorathang and Padamchea while four more have been kept in Darjeeling town.