Rescue team cover North Sikkim, 4 roads still blocked
Source: The Sangai Express / Press Trust of India
New Delhi, September 22 2011:
Rescue teams have covered almost all earthquake affected areas in worst-hit North Sikkim though four key roads, which connect different parts of the region, continued to remain blocked today following Sunday's natural disaster.
Home Ministry officials said that rescue team of National Disaster Response Force, ITBP, Army and other volunteers covered most of the villages in North Sikkim and were of the opinion that death toll may not go up.
71 people were killed and 58 injured in Sikkim in the quake, according to the state government.
Most of the employees and labourers of the Teesta Hydro Electro Project have been counted for and fears of recovery of more bodies in and around the construction site have been dispelled by the rescuers.
However, four key roads � Chungthang-Lachen, ChungthanLachung, Pedong-Kupup and Rangpo-Rorathang � are still blocked due to landslide and Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and Army Engineers are working on their restoration.
Four pregnant women were shifted by ITBP to Mangan Chungthang hospitals.
Rescue teams also evacuated 18 more Indian tourists from Rangma Range and nine civilian workers of Teesta project from Pegong.
Power supply in Sikkim has been normal except in the some parts of North district.
The death toll in North District is 54, West District four and South District one.
12 people died in East District.