News & Updates

Nepal - 25th September 2011: Tour plane crashed near Everest, 19 perished on Sunday.

 

A plane that was carrying tourists to view Mount Everest crashed while attempting to land in Nepal on Sunday, killing all 19 people on board, including 13 foreigners, officials said.

 

Ten Indians, two Americans and one Japanese were among the victims, Tourism Secretary Ganeshraj Joshi said.

 

The turboprop plane belonging to Buddha Air was also carrying three Nepalese passengers and three crew members when it crashed in Bisankunarayan village, just a few miles (kilometers) south of the capital, Kathmandu. No casualties were reported on the ground. It was foggy and visibility was very low in the mountainous area. 

 

Rewant Kuwar, an official at Katmandu's international airport rescue office, said 18 bodies were pulled out of the plane's wreckage, and another victim died after being rushed to a hospital.

 

The two Americans were identified as Andrew Wade and Natalie Neilan, while the Japanese citizen was Toshinori Uejima. Their hometowns and other details were not immediately released.

 

Bhutan - The quake struck at approximately 2:50 P M   and its epicenter was 180 kilometers (110 miles) east of Bhutan's capital, Thimphu, and 135 kilometers (85 miles) northwest of Gauhati, in Assam state, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.The death toll from 22nd September, 2011 6.1-magnitude earthquake in Bhutan rose to 11, the country's home minister said..

 

Several schoolchildren and monks were treated for injuries sustained in the aftermath.Those injured included two monks who had been trapped inside a collapsed monastery in Bhutan's eastern Tashigang district, he said.

 

The quake also was felt in India's northeastern Assam state, bordering Bhutan. Among the dead were four Indian road laborers who were crushed when boulders from hillsides rained down on them, said Home Minister Minjur Dorji.

 

"In all, we have lost 11 lives," the minister said, adding that the government estimated that the tremor caused millions of dollars in damage.

 

Sikkim - From 27th September, 2011 the response from the ground are not very encouraging. West and South Sikkim is temporary cut off and Gangtok with Gangtok to Mangan also are also of and on open and closed. Work is carrying on in full swing but rains are still on. Relief like torches with batteries, non-electric mobile chargers, candles and matches, water filters are sos for North Sikkim. Tourism for North Sikkim this Durga Puja (06/10/2011) and Diwali 26/10/2011) season has fully been cancelled. This includes West, South and East Sikkim several cancellations have been received by travel agents mainly in Kolkata and the hotels directly.

 

Several buildings have also been damaged in Gangtok. All schools in Sikkim has been declared closed till 10th October, 2011. The North Sikkim highway from Mangan to Chunthang, a distance of 100 kilometers, is still blocked by landslides and inaccessible.

 

Six member team consisting of scientists, geologists and structural engineers in Lachung to survey the damage there. Two doctors were also dropped at Lachen for assessment.

 

There have been 54 major landslides in the 24 kilometers stretch between Chunthang and Lachung. On Sunday, the North Sikkim road was opened up to 1 km ahead of Toong, 21 km north of Mangan. But beyond that, the task is very difficult. A 14 kilometers stretch between Toong and Chungthang has been washed away.

 

Indo Tibetan Border Police has launched search and rescue operations in Pegong area of north Sikkim which has been "badly affected" with two ITBP buildings also collapsing after the state was rocked by the earthquake.  

 

West Bengal - Four persons were also reported dead in Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri and Siliguri in West Bengal. Two Army personnel were also killed in the earthquake. Officials say that at least 33 people are reported to have been injured.

 

Two to three army vehicles including one bus with army personnel was missing. There has been substantial damage to Army buildings in the area around Sikkim.

 

Lebong Road sunked - Army stepped in on Tuesday to build a metal bridge at the landslide-hit area to help resume traffic movement. Landslide had devoured a 30 - metre stretch of the Lebong Cart Road. Vehicular movement from the main town to the northern parts had to be diverted to the upper stretches where the road is narrow and small.

 

The 113 Engineer Regiment of the Indian army at Lebong surveyed the landslide site near Sharma Garage just above the Happy Valley tea estate. "Work to build the bridge would begin from Wednesday and we hope to resume vehicular movement within three days," said Brigadier R S Rawat, of the Dogra Regiment. The bridge on completion will be christened 'Mayaloo 113' after the regiment's number.

 

Lebong Cart Road connects the town with places like Singamari and tea gardens of Phoobsering, Banesbuck, Singla, Ging and also the army cantonment at Lebong. All vehicular movement has now been diverted from the Birch Hill Road.

 

"Incessant rain in the past 24 hours has damaged a vast stretch of Lebong Cart Road. We have diverted all traffic flow to the north side of the town from the upper stretches. It will take about a month to repair the road," said Darjeeling DM Soumitra Mohan.

 

Several buildings were damaged and developed wide cracks in Siliguri, Jalpaiguri area also. Government is taking steps to mark such buildings and establishments. Help amd other help is assured by the State government.