Army Rescues 300 Tourists Stranded Due To Rain-Induced Landslides In North Sikkim

Indian Army continues rescue operations near Chungthang in North Sikkim after tourists were stranded because of landslides triggered by heavy rain. One rescuee fell unconscious during the operation.

Unconscious rescuee taken on a stretcher on the makeshift crossing near Chungthang in North Sikkim.

The Indian Army continues to work tirelessly for safeguarding the citizens and in the latest instance, it carried out rescue operations near Chungthang in North Sikkim where a bridge was swept away due to landslides triggered by heavy rains. Around 300 tourists were stranded due to landslides and roadblocks, the rescued tourists received medical attention, food, and a resting place by the Army troops. The rescue operations are ongoing after heavy rains lashed North Sikkim on Friday. 

Troops of the Trishakti Corps of the Indian Army and personnel of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) swung into action and worked overnight in Chungthang amid heavy rains. They created a makeshift crossing over the flash flood area to facilitate the rescue of tourists.

Sikkim | Indian Army rescues 300 tourists stranded at Chungthang, North Sikkim due to landslides and roadblocks in the part. The tourists were provided food, resting place and medical comfort by the Indian Army troops during the rescue: Lt Col Mahendra Rawat, PRO Defence pic.twitter.com/WAnHBE5aS0

— ANI (@ANI) June 18, 2023

One of the tourists fell unconscious while the rescue operation was going on and had to be immediately evacuated by ambulance to the near Army hospital. The Army said that the patient is currently in stable condition.

"During the rescue, a person who fell unconscious was immediately evacuated by ambulance and taken to the nearest Army Field Hospital for further treatment. The medical condition of the patient is stable as of now", the defence PRO at Guwahati Lt. Col. Mahendra Rawaat told ANI. 

#WATCH | During the rescue, a person who fell unconscious was immediately evacuated by ambulance and taken to the nearest Army Field Hospital for further treatment. The medical condition of the patient is stable as of now: Lt Col Mahendra Rawat, PRO Defence pic.twitter.com/sIGmZu7rs1

— ANI (@ANI) June 18, 2023

Meanwhile, the North Sikkim District Collector (DC) Hem Kumar Chettri on Sunday said that no fresh permits will be issued to tourists to visit the picturesque district in view of weather-related vagaries and restoration works underway for roads damaged extensively due to landslides.

He thanked the BRO, GREF, ITBP, Army, and district officials for the successful evacuation of the tourists "We have decided to not issue fresh permits to the tourists to visit North Sikkim for the time being due to the restoration of roads underway between Mangan Chungthang," he told PTI over the phone.

"Our immediate priority is to restore roads damaged due to landslides and heavy rains and once the road connectivity is restored then we will allow the tourists to come," Chettri said.