Sikkim Weighs 'Uninhabitable' Tag for Rimbi After Repeated Landslides

The Sikkim government is weighing whether to declare Rimbi village in West Sikkim uninhabitable, following a series of landslides that have damaged at least 32 houses and four government quarters. Residents may have to be shifted to a safer location if the move goes ahead.

The damage has been accumulating since August 13, when two houses were first affected. A heavy spell of rain the next day caused far wider destruction, hitting roughly 30 more homes. Several small wooden and semi-pucca structures were completely destroyed, and household belongings were lost along with them.

Disaster Relief Commissioner Rinzing Chewang, who inspected the village on September 25, said the recurring landslide from Singlitam could make Rimbi unfit for habitation. Affected residents have been moved to the Gram Prasasan Kendra, where 107 people are currently sheltered. Nine houses in nearby Singlitam have also been evacuated, with those families shifted to a relief camp there.

Chewang said a multidisciplinary geological survey would be carried out after the monsoon to determine what is causing the slides.

Compensation has been outlined for those affected. Families whose houses were completely damaged will receive Rs 1.3 lakh, while other losses will be compensated according to existing norms. Under the Sikkim Housing Scheme, families that have lost land will be given land and a house, and those who retain land will receive support for construction.

The crisis has been building for weeks, with the steep slopes of Singlitam continuing to slide downhill and threaten settlements below. Even houses near Mit Khola, earlier seen as relatively safe, are now being reached by floodwaters carrying heavy mud and debris.

With the slopes still unstable and rainfall showing little sign of easing, residents worry that another bout of heavy rain could cause further damage.

Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang said the situation remained serious and that the safety and well-being of residents was the government's foremost priority. He said directions had been issued to the authorities concerned to stay on high alert, monitor affected areas closely and take every possible step to protect the public.