1,800 Tourists Stranded in North Sikkim After Landslides; Rescue Ops Underway

GANTOK:
Around 1,800 tourists, including 560 in Lachen and 1,200 in Lachung, remain stranded in north Sikkim following multiple landslides that damaged key roads on Thursday, officials said. The affected regions, nestled in the high-altitude zones of the eastern Himalayas, were hit by landslides at Munshithang and Lema/Bob on the Lachen–Chungthang and Lachung–Chungthang roads respectively.

Efforts are currently underway to restore road connectivity, with personnel from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), local residents, and the district police involved in clearing the debris.

“The road between Lachung and Chungthang may be restored by Saturday evening. However, the Lachen-Chungthang stretch will take longer. Tourists stuck in Lachen may be evacuated via Lachung by taking a detour,” said Mangan superintendent of police Sonam Detchu Bhutia.

Though earlier reports on Friday mentioned 1,200 tourists stranded, updated estimates from Saturday placed the figure closer to 1,800. The administration has urged tourists to remain in their hotels until the roads are cleared, assuring that phone and electricity services remain unaffected.

“All hotels in Lachen are offering free lodging and food to stranded guests,” said Rinam Lachenpa, president of the Lachen Hotel Owners’ Association. He also stated that if necessary, tourists could be assisted in walking short stretches to cross blocked roads, after which they would be moved by vehicles.

In the wake of the situation, the Sikkim government has cancelled all travel permits to north Sikkim, including those previously issued. Tour operators have been instructed not to send any tourists to the affected regions until further notice.

Meanwhile, tourists who were en route to Lachen and Lachung but were halted due to roadblocks were rescued on Friday morning and sheltered at safe locations in Chungthang. As many as 57 tourists who were stranded on Thursday night were accommodated in local villages and later safely moved to Gangtok.

Lachen, which was severely impacted by the Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) in October 2023, had only reopened to tourists in March after being cut off for nearly a year and a half. The fresh wave of landslides has once again put the spotlight on the region’s fragile infrastructure.