Heavy rainfall triggered landslides in Sikkim on Friday, cutting off northern and eastern parts of the state, including Nathula pass. Efforts are underway to restore connectivity, reported news agency PTI.
A landslide in the 9th Mile area along the Jawaharlal Nehru Road cut off the Nathula pass from Sikkim's capital Gangtok. The Nathula pass connects India and China, besides tourist destinations like Tsomgo Lake and Baba Mandir, with Gangtok.
Border Road Organisation (BRO) said it has started clearing out the highway to restore connectivity.
An official told PTI that it could take at least a day to clear the road for traffic.
Meanwhile, an official from the tourism department said it stopped issuing tourist passes to visit the area till the road was cleared and the weather improved.
Incessant rainfall has led to roads being washed away at Rafung Khola and Lanthey Khola, snapping connectivity between Mangan and Chungthang in northern Sikkim, PTI reported.
Six minor landslides along the road have also cut off tourist destinations Lachung and Lachen from the rest of the state.
Earlier this week, a 40-year-old man was killed in a landslide in North Sikkim. BRO has started repair work and it might take 3-4 days to reopen the road for traffic.
The development comes as rainfall continues to pound North Indian states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Heavy rains in Himachal Pradesh have triggered floods and landslides across the state, leaving more than 90 people dead since June 24.
The Indian Meteorological Department said that Himachal Pradesh is expected to experience heavy rainfall starting from July 14, with the downpour projected to last for five days. The state is expected to receive heavy rain at isolated places till July 18 with the local MeT office issuing a yellow alert.
A total of 170 houses have been damaged completely and 594 partially, the state emergency operation centre said, according to PTI. The state has suffered a cumulative loss of Rs 1,312 crore