Click to play videoGangtok: The road to north Sikkim beyond Mangan, the epicentre of the Sunday's earthquake, remains blocked even as the relief and rescue workers have raced against time to open the arterial National Highway 31A that cut off the state since Sunday evening.
By Tuesday evening rescue workers were able to clear the blockades caused by landslides both from Bagdogra to Gangtok and Gantok to Mangan. In the process two army jawans were killed.
The first aerial visuals of Mangan showed that the killer quake has left death and devastation behind, with the death toll climbing to 82.
Several people are still feared trapped under the debris in far-flung villages, amidst reports of fresh landslides at Gailkhola, 55 kms from Gangtok at NH-31A. Some students are trapped in Ravangla in West Sikkim where aerial reccee is being carried out.
Out of the 82 deaths, 68 are in India, including 53 in Sikkim. Three people are confirmed dead in Bihar and 12 in West Bengal, seven each are dead in Nepal and Tibet.
Though the Army has finally reached the epicentre, in the town of Mangan, restoring communication lines remains a big challenge.
Nine helicopters were mobilised and 10 doctors airlifted to Chung-thang in North Sikkim. The army has also deployed 10 medical units.
The Army said restoring communication lines beyond Mangan will be the next big challenge.
"The biggest challenge right now is to get the lines of communication through to supply food to needy people. Road beyond Mangan is very bad and it will take more than 20 days," said Lt Gen Bikram Singh.
As the road link opening up, the enormity of the damage is finally emerging. Besides the loss to human lives, over 15,000 houses were razed to the ground and more than 1 lakh were partially damaged. While the state government is gradually restoring essential services like power and water supplies, the government is yet to fully assess the economic damage.
"We already have given our revenue officers to asses the damages. We will have it by September 22," said Sikkim government sources.
People also facing major difficulties to climb over land slides to reach to far flung areas as they were stranded for the last 2-3 days.
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