Sikkim landslides: All tourists evacuated from Lachen, cut off from rest; rain hampers relief
Even as the search for six persons, who had gone missing after a landslide struck a military camp in Chaten in north Sikkim, continues, officials in Gangtok said that all the tourists stranded in Lachen have been moved out.
'All 109 tourists stranded in Lachen have been moved to Chaten. They are now safely housed in nearby hotels and the Army camp in Chaten, awaiting air evacuation when weather conditions improve. There are no longer any tourists remaining in Lachen,' a senior official involved in the search and rescue operation said on Wednesday.
Earlier in the day, relentless rainfall hampered relief efforts in North Sikkim, as two crucial bridges over the Taran Chu river, located between Munshithang and Chatten, were washed away. This severed motorable access to Chaten from Lachen, significantly escalating logistical challenges for ongoing disaster response operations.
Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, who chaired a high-level emergency meeting on Wednesday, directed officials to intensify rescue and relief operations, especially in Mangan district, which has borne the maximum brunt.
'The government stands in solidarity with the people of Mangan and urges everyone to stay united and cooperate fully with rescue teams and local authorities,' the CM said, as he urged residents and tourists to remain calm.
A statement issued by the Sikkim government said: 'The chief minister has issued firm directives to immediately intensify rescue and relief operations in close coordination with the NDRF, SDRF, BRO (Border Roads Organisations), TAAS (Travel Agents Association of Sikkim), and all other relevant agencies. Every effort is being made to ensure that help reaches those in need without delay.'
Meanwhile, the Army identified the six missing persons — Lieutenant Colonel Pritpal Singh Sandhu of the Army, his wife Squadron Leader Aarti Sandhu (Retd) of the Indian Air Force, their daughter Amayra Sandhu; and Subedar Dharamveer, Naik Sunilal Muchahary, and Sepoy Sainudheen PK of the Army.
Speaking on the Sunday landslide that killed three Army men and swept away other six, Brigadier HS Lidder, a Brigade Commander supervising the search and rescue operations, said, 'Nothing was anticipated. There were around 50-70 personnel residing here. Unfortunately, nature got the better of nine of our personnel. In the last three days, we have mobilised all our resources. We were able to recover three mortal remains. Six personnel of ours continue to be missing.'
The IAF said that its Mi-17 helicopters have successfully evacuated 33 stranded survivors, including two US nationals, from the landslide-hit Chaten region.
Meanwhile, persistent bad weather in the region halted helicopter sorties from Pakyong Greenfield Airport for the day, delaying further evacuations. Two MI-17 V5 helicopters remain stationed at Pakyong, on standby for immediate deployment once flying conditions improve.
In view of the washed-away bridges and suspension of aerial sorties, the Government of Sikkim is now exploring an alternative ground-based evacuation route using a phased transshipment strategy, said officials.
Severe weather also impacted Phirphirey Ward under Pachey Samsing GPU, prompting a site visit by the District Disaster Management Authority to assess the situation and extend support. SDM Pakyong, Dakman Subba, reaffirmed the district administration's commitment to restoring normalcy at the earliest, stating that the administration remains vigilant and fully dedicated to extending all necessary and timely assistance to the affected families.
Sweety Kumari reports from West Bengal for The Indian Express. She is a journalist with over a decade of experience in the media industry. Covers Crime, Defence, Health , Politics etc and writes on trending topics.
With a keen eye for investigative and human-interest stories. She has honed her craft across diverse beats including aviation, health, incidents etc. Sweety delivers impactful journalism that informs and engages audiences.
Sweety Kumari is a graduate of Calcutta University with an Honors degree in Journalism from Jaipuria College and a PG in Mass Communication from Jadavpur University. Originally from Bihar, she is brought up in Kolkata and completed her education from Kendriya Vidyalaya SaltLake. Multilingual, Sweety is fluent in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Maithili. She started her career as an Entertainment and lifestyle journalist with a newsportal in Kolkata. She is working with The Indian Express for 8 years now. ... Read More
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