![]() The state of Sikkim within India | |
Date | 4–5 October 2023 |
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Location |
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Cause | Outburst of the South Lhonak lake due to heavy rainfall |
Deaths | 92+ |
Property damage | 15 bridges, one hydroelectric dam destroyed |
On 4 October 2023, heavy rains caused the glacial South Lhonak lake in Sikkim, a state in northeastern India, to breach its banks, causing a glacial lake outburst flood.[1] The flood reached the Teesta III Dam at Chungthang at midnight, before its gates could be opened, destroying the dam in minutes.[2] Water levels downstream in the River Teesta rose by up to 20 feet (6.1 m), causing widespread damage.[3]
It was the deadliest flood in the area after the 1968 Sikkim floods when around 1000 people were killed.[4]