Authorities in Sikkim evacuated 15 more tourists from Lachung and nearby areas in Mangan district on Tuesday after the region was hit by severe landslides. The operation involved the coordinated efforts of the district administration, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and local volunteers, who are working tirelessly to bring stranded tourists to safety.
Officials anticipate that more tourists will be evacuated as the day continues. On Monday, 64 tourists were successfully moved from Lachung to Mangan town. The challenging conditions required the setup of log bridges over landslides to allow safe passage on foot and by vehicles where roads were still usable.
The relentless rains since June 12 have caused extensive damage in Mangan, leading to multiple landslides and cutting off connectivity to many parts of the district. As a result, approximately 1,200 tourists found themselves stranded in Lachung.
At least six people have been killed in Sikkim due to landslides triggered by heavy rain over the past few days. The natural calamity has also damaged properties and disrupted power and food supplies and mobile networks in several areas, officials said. The situation became grave after the collapse of the newly constructed suspension bridge at Sanklang as it was the main connection to North Sikkim and Dzongu, they said.
“Responding to the natural disaster by overcoming severe weather conditions and heavy rainfall in the region, the BRO launched restoration efforts by mobilising huge manpower and machinery to restore connectivity to North Sikkim at the earliest,” a statement said.
“Swift and efficient response by a brave team of 758 BRTF under Project Swastik once again demonstrated their selfless commitment, resilience and determination in restoring vital connectivity and rescue of stranded tourists from North Sikkim,” it added.
With inputs from agencies.
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79 tourists evacuated from Sikkim’s landslides-hit Lachung; over 1,000 still stranded
