Over 1,000 stranded tourists evacuated in landslide-hit Sikkim, 1,800 others await rescue

Around 1,100 tourists stranded in north Sikkkm's Chungthang town following landslides were evacuated by the authorities on Friday, while 1,800 others are awaiting rescue from two other popular hill stations in Mangan district, officials said. The administration is bringing the evacuated travellers to the state capital Gangtok, around 100 km from Chungthang.

Those tourists, who spent Thursday night in a gurdwara, left in about 200 vehicles, officials said.

From Chungthang, the vehicles reached Mangan, the district headquarters, via a reconstructed bailey bridge at Sangkalang which was opened for traffic movement.

Officials said that efforts were also on to clear the roads as fast as possible to evacuate around 1,800 other tourists stuck in Lachung and Lachen.

Roads to Lachen and Lachung remained closed due to mudslides caused by heavy rainfall on Thursday evening.

Tourists need to travel via Chungthang to reach Lachung and Lachen, hill stations known for their natural beauty and proximity to popular tourist destinations like Gurudongmar Lake and Yumthang Valley.

The district administration has made all necessary arrangements to ensure the well-being of the tourists stranded in Lachung and Lachen.

Meanwhile, Sikkim Governor Om Prakash Mathur said that all tourists are safe in various places in north Sikkim.

Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang has been personally supervising the rescue operations of the stranded tourists, he said.

In a related development, the Mangan district administration has announced suspension of all tourist permits for the time being.

Permits already issued for travel have been declared invalid, officials said, adding the tour operators have been instructed not to send any tourists northward until further notice.

Landslides have occurred at Munshithang on the Lachen-Chungthang road and at Lema/Bob on the Lachung-Chungthang road. The situation was aggravated due to continuous rain in the region.