Slide at Aap Dara Zero Point wrecks IRBn barrack

MANGAN, 18 June: The heavy downpour on Sunday night turned into a nightmare for the residents of Aap Dara Zero Point at the entrance gate of 510 MW NHPC Teesta Stage-V Dam about 1km short of Dikchu. 
It was around 1 AM that the IRBn personnel posted at Zero Point Check Post heard the crash of boulders falling which was just the beginning of the slide that occurred right above the village. At around 2 AM, a huge slide broke out with huge boulders and crushed the IRBn Barrack under it. Fortunately, no casualty was reported as residents had made their escape earlier when minor slides had begun.
Utensils, beds, clothes, furniture and other belongings of the IRBn personnel have been totally damaged. The boulders also damaged the goat shed of Indra Bahadur Rai and killed one goat. The slide also disrupted the Dikchu-Singtam highway today which resumed at around 11 AM after restoration work was undertaken by the BRO.
The residents have been shifted to a safer location at Jang village while the IRBn personnel remain on duty. The Zero Point check post is prone to such risks as a slide had occurred here last year as well.