Dharamsala: The Dalai Lama has offered his condolences to the people of Sikkim,the hill state was hit by a powerful earthquake on Sunday, so far 53 people have been killed in the state.
In a letter written to the Sikkim chief minister he said Tuesday, “I was saddened to learn about the loss of life and damage to property.I offer my sympathy and condolences to all families who have been affected by this earthquake considered the worst in recent memory.â€
The Tibetan spiritual leader offered his prayers to those affected by this tragic natural calamity and also donated Rs 500,000 from the Dalai Lama Trust towards relief work in the affected areas of the state.
The death toll has climbed to 82 across the Himalayan region in India,including 53 in Sikkim state.North Sikkim still remains inaccessible.
The first aerial visual of Mangan showed that the killer quake has left death and devastation behind.Many people are still feared trapped under the debris in far-flung villages.
Helicopters ferried rescue workers and emergency supplies, while paramilitary troops used earthmovers to clear landslides on highways linking Sikkim to the rest of India.
An earthquake measuring 6.8 on the richter scale struck Sikkim which shook parts of North and NE India and parts of Nepal and Bangladesh.
The epicentre of the quake is said to be just 64 km NE of the Gangtok, capital of Sikkim.
In a 20 year career published widely. He has worked for the BBC, AFP, The Statesman, IANS and the Business Standard . Known for his hard hitting writing and occasional off-beat stories. He lives in Shimla.
