![\"Dzongu](\"http:\/\/darjeelingtimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/dzongu1.jpg\")
Darjeeling Times<\/a> image of the Dzongu landslide in Sikkim, showing the aftermath of the overtopping event<\/p><\/div>\n .<\/p>\n The good news is the channel appears to be eroding laterally rather than vertically at the time of this image, and that there also appears to be large boulders in the channel that may be inhibiting basal erosion.\u00a0 However, it is really important to stress that the danger is not over at this site. The dam could still enter a failure mode through piping, through erosion of the downward face or through basal erosion.\u00a0 The dam has yet to be tested in a high flow event (and this is the monsoon season).\u00a0 The site needs detailed assessment and monitoring, and all should be on their guard.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, the lack of a breach event creates another crisis as the presence of a large landslide and a lake mean that access to communities upstream is impacted.\u00a0\u00a0 On Facebook, Bijoy Gurung has written an account<\/a> of the effects that is worth a read.\u00a0 Part of his account is as follows:<\/p>\n MAROONED<\/strong> ALL EYES TOWARDS THE SKY<\/strong> Kalimpong News<\/a> has an image of the scale of the landslide:<\/p>\n
\nOne word that encapsulates Upper Dzongu and its inhabitants following the Saturday collapse of an entire hill side upon Kanaka river which dammed its flow besides Mantam, 4th Mile and spawned a 300 m lake. The sole road link has been washed away while the 4th Mile suspension bridge is somewhere beneath the nearly 70 m deep lake … Some villagers of Upper Dzongu are trekking through three dense forest hills for almost 4 to 5 hours to reach Lower Lingthem where a motorable road exists leading to Passingdong and then towards Mangan or Gangtok.<\/p>\n
\nIt is beyond question for the old and children to make this punishing trek. It is beyond imagination to consider carrying goods or rations on bare backs towards the isolated villages in Upper Dzongu. Soon, the stock of food grains and essential items in the Upper Dzongu villages are going to run out. The old and ill people are going to need medical attention and medicines. Power supply is snapped and the last call from Upper Dzongu ended this morning as the mobile battery has gone dead.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n