Rehabilitation underway for Naga village residents after 2023 glacial lake flood in Sikkim

Guwahati: Residents of Naga village in Sikkim's Naga-Tung Gram Panchayat, who lost their homes in the glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) on October 3–4, 2023, are now receiving rehabilitation support from the district administration.

Mangan District Collector Anant Jain stated that the administration is following established protocols to assist families of those still missing since the disaster.

“In natural disasters, when bodies are not recovered after a certain period, families can apply for death certificates. We then issue provisional certificates to help them move forward,” he explained.

Immediately after the landslide and flood impacted Naga village, officials relocated affected families to temporary relief centres. “Official records show that 100–110 people registered at these centres. Many are still residing there, and the government has ensured they have temporary shelters,” Jain added.

The catastrophic GLOF, triggered by the breach of South Lhonak Lake, caused widespread destruction in Mangan district, washing away homes and infrastructure, and leaving several villagers unaccounted for.

Since the disaster, the district administration has been actively coordinating rehabilitation efforts and processing the necessary documentation to support the affected families.