EARTH QUAKE ROCKS SIKKIM & PARTS OF WEST BENGAL :

Dear Comrades,

As per the latest news published in the Times of India few hours ago, thirty-five tourists, including two from Norway, were airlifted on Wednesday by the Army from Lachung village, one of the worst-hit quake areas in Sikkim.

Also airlifted were 16 people injured in the quake, army sources said. 

The tourists, some of whom were wounded, were airlifted from Ringzim helipad here. Paljor Lachungpa, who is coordinating the evacuation, said Lachen was still cut off and more tourists could be airlifted from Chungthang later in the day. The tourists were in a state of shock. Bishnupriya Dutta, a housewife from Bhubaneswar touring Sikkim with eight family members, including two children, was barely able to narrate the harrowing experience.  She was on way to Lachung from Lachen when the quake struck. "The car was shaking violently and the driver said there was a earthquake ... We were all terribly scared."  Dutta, who along with her family was staying at an army camp at Bichhu for the past three nights, said, "On way here today I saw a large number of houses damaged and the roads had caved in ... I thanked God".  Asked whether she would return to Sikkim in future, her answer was "Never."  "I cannot forget all my life the fear and the pitch darkness of that night when the quake struck and we moved to Bichhu for shelter in the army camp," she said.

Toll mounts : Meanwhile, the death toll in the state rose to 60 overnight with seven more bodies recovered from East and North Sikkim. Official sources said today that six bodies were recovered from East Sikkim.  The overall deaths in the Sunday disaster has crossed 90, with 18 deaths reported from other parts of the country, eight in Nepal and seven in southern Tibet.  However, a bus missing with 24 passengers and crew has been rescued from Tung with all but one passenger alive.  Army, NDRF and disaster management personnel walked to Tung, between quake epi-centre Mangan and worst-hit Chungthang and rescued the people in the bus last night, the sources said.

Rescue teams are yet to reach Chungthang which is in the mountains.  Villagers of Dikchu Valley were very worried in the absence of any communication from their menfolk who work in the Teesta project at Chungthang, which is about 12 km away, since the calamity struck.  A large number of houses had either collapsed or were badly damaged by Sunday's temblor and at least 10 major cracks were seen on the Singtam-Dikchu road.  Most of the people in Dikchu are staying in open areas for fear of aftershocks.  There was, however, no threat to the Teesta hydel project stage 5, situated here as the NHPC authorities had opened the sluice gates and the water level had gone down, sources in the company said.

 In this connection we reproduce our CHQ’s publication in its website today  as follows:

 EARTH QUAKE ROCKS SIKKIM & PARTS OF WEST BENGAL

The powerful earthquake hit the Sikkim and other parts jolted on Sunday 18.9.2011 cause heavy damages to buildings and roads besides heavy causalities. We mourn to the lives lost in the disaster

The following is the report received from the Divisional Secretary, Sikkim about the damages caused to postal and its employees. However there is no human loss of the postal family. Many of our GDS comrades lost their properties and homes. If the Circle Union or Divisional Union proposes any relief to the victims of earthquake, let us join with them. We place our deep sympathy to our brethren who lost their belongings in this national disaster. Let us render our moral and monetary assistance to the affected after receiving the formal announcement from the Circle/divisional Union

Letter. No: AIPEU/ SKM DIVN/ Earthquake/ 2011 Dated at Gangtok the 21.09.2011

Subject: Review Report of earthquake on 18^th Sept., 2011 in different offices of Sikkim Division.

This is to inform you that large numbers of minor damages have occurred due to the earthquake on 18^th Sept, 2011 the details of which are given below:

Postman room, Training centre, Staff canteen, Speed Post Centre, SBCO Branch, Account Branch are having minor damages and the Postal Staff Quarters of RajBhawan is also in miserable condition.

1.     As per reliable sources Chungthang SO has also been damaged. But there is no telephonic conversation with the SPM as the lines are all out of order in North Sikkim.

2.     As per report given by the SPM, Mangan SO the office has been damaged and also several houses of GDS were damaged.

3.     As per report given by the SPM, Dikchu SO the office has minor damages and also several houses of GDS were damaged

4.     As per report given by the SPM, Gayzing SO it also has minor damages and also several houses of GDS were damaged 

5.     As per report given by the SPM, Ravangla SO the office has minor damage and also several houses of GDS were damaged

6.     As per report given by the SPM, Pelling SO the office has minor damage and also several houses of GDS were damaged.

7.     As per report given by the SPM, Nayabazar SO the office has minor damage and also several houses of GDS were damaged.

8.     . As per report given by the SPM, Namchi SO the office has minor damage and also several houses of GDS were damaged.

9.     As per report given by the SPM, Melli SO the office and staff quarter has some major damage.

10.  As per report given by the SPM, Rajbhawan SO the office has minor damage and also several houses of GDS were damaged.

11.  As per report given by the SPM, Tashiling NDSO the office has minor damage and also several houses of GDS were damaged

12.  As per report given by the SPM, Sichey NDSO the office has minor damage and also several houses of GDS were damaged.

13.  As per report given by the SPM, Deorali NDSO the office has minor damage and also several houses of GDS were damaged

14.  As per report given by the SPM, Tadong SO the office has minor damage and also several houses of GDS were damaged.

15.  As per report given by the SPM, Sikkim Manipal NDSO the office has minor damage and also several houses of GDS were damaged

16.  As per report given by the SPM, Ranipool SO the office has minor damage and also several houses of GDS were damaged

17.  As per report given by the SPM, Pakyong SO the office has minor damage and also several houses of GDS were damaged.

18.  As per report given by the SPM, Rhenock SO the office has minor damage and also several houses of GDS were damaged

19.  As per report given by the SPM, Rongli SO the office has minor damage and also several houses of GDS were damaged

20.  As per report given by the SPM, Singtam SO the office has minor damage and also several houses of GDS were damaged.

21.  As per report given by the SPM, Rangpo SO the office has minor damage and also several houses of GDS were damaged.

22.  As per report given by the SPM, Majitar SO the office has minor damage and also several houses of GDS were damaged.

This is for kind information. Kindly look into the matter and take necessary action for the early repairing of the same. However no casualties from our department have been reported so far.