Gangtok, Sept. 3: Namchi was left thirsting in driving rain that fuelled fears of fresh landslides.

Water supply to the South district headquarters remained cut off in the aftermath of the devastating landslide that tore through Namchi on Wednesday, killing at least one person. Four labourers are feared buried under the debris of boulders and slush, but rescue workers have not recovered any bodies other than that of seven-year-old Kancha Rai.

District collector (South) Vishal Chauhan said the damage to property had been estimated at Rs 2.5 crore.

The pipelines carrying water from Ravangla to Namchi, which suffered extensive damage when a large chunk of a hill came crashing down, have not been repaired.

The rain of boulders have left the pipelines at Rayong and Devithan, between Namchi and Ravangla, mangled and useless.

As residents waited for water, district officials said the roads that had been blocked by the sludge and rocks had been cleared and opened to traffic.

The water-supply situation would improve by tomorrow with arrangements being made for an alternative supply from Ghurpisey.

More than 200 relief and rescue workers from the police, home guard, roads and bridges department, public health engineering and various organisations from the district continued to work in Kholagari area.

A temporary log bridge has been built across the river. A bulldozer was also pressed into service at the affected site today. Heavy rains that continued even today also hampered rescue and relief work.

The district administration has moved around 30 people living in the vicinity of the disaster zone to a relief camp for fear of fresh landslips that could be triggered by the rain.

Additional chief secretary N.D. Chingapa, who is also the relief commissioner, today reached Namchi hand over a compensation of Rs 10,000 to the next of kin of those feared dead.

Superintendent of police M.S. Tuli said a body had been fished out from the Teesta at Nayabazaar-Jorethang, but ruled out the possibility of it being one of the victims of the Namchi landslide.

“It could have been a case of drowning or one of the victims of the landslide at Yuksom,” he said.