Pakyong , 30 August : Nearly 10 months after a devastating flood swept a bomb away from the Army’s ammunition depot at Bardang in East Sikkim, the explosive was safely defused on Thursday, police confirmed.
Residents of the 20 Mile area in Bardang discovered the bomb and promptly reported it to the Rangpo police station. The Army’s bomb disposal unit in Bardang, located about 29 kilometers from Gangtok, was notified and successfully neutralized the explosive.
This is one of several bombs the Army has defused along the Teesta riverbanks since the Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) struck Sikkim in October 2023.
The GLOF, which originated from parts of Lhonak Lake, caused a rapid and destructive rise in water levels along the Teesta basin in the early hours of October 4.
The powerful floodwaters washed away the Bardang Army camp’s ammunition depot, which housed bombs, mines, arms, and other explosive devices. Tragically, several Army personnel also lost their lives in the disaster.
