Sikkim Landslide: 3 dead, 6 Security Personnel Missing; 1,500 Tourists Stranded Due To Heavy Rains

At least three persons, including two army personnel, died while six other security personnel went missing after a landslide hit a military camp at Chhaten in Sikkim, a defence official said on Monday. Sikkim has been battered by heavy rain in the last few days.

Officials told PTI that the landslide, which occurred at 7 pm on Sunday, was triggered by heavy rainfall in the area. Three bodies have been recovered so far, while four individuals were rescued with minor injuries, the defence official said in a statement.

"Four personnel with minor injuries have been rescued. Mortal remains of Hav Lakhwinder Singh, Lance Naik Munish Thakur & Porter Abhishek Lakhada recovered. Rescue operations for six missing people continue", the Indian Army's Trishakticorps posted on X.

Sikkim Rains: Tourists Stranded, Bridges Damaged

Around 1,500 tourists remained stranded in north Sikkim as incessant torrential rainfall battered Mangan district for the third successive day on Sunday. Heavy rains also lashed other parts of Sikkim in the past 24 hours.

Moreover, two bridges - the Phidang Bridge and the Sangkalang Bailey Bridge - were partially damaged due to adverse weather conditions.

The Phidang Bridge, located in the Dzongu region, got damaged due to a strong current in the Teesta River in the wake of the heavy rain, another official said while the Sangkalang Bailey Bridge, connecting Mangan to Chungthang, has also been partially damaged due to the current of the Teesta River, the officials said.

In view of the worsening situation, the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL) imposed intermittent restrictions on traffic movement on the NH-10 (Sevoke to Rangpo section) on June 2 and 3.

Border Roads Organisation (BRO) Machinery Deployed

Heavy machinery from the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has been deployed to clear the road from Lachung to Chungthang and further from Chungthang to the Theeng tunnel.

A major landslide at Theeng had initially blocked the road, but it is now reported to be cleared up to Shipgyer near the GREF camp.

However, a large boulder just a few hundred metres ahead of the camp remains to be removed, the officials said.

BRO teams are expected to clear the obstruction at the earliest.

Mangan district collector Anant Jain, along with other officials, inspected the route from Chungthang to Shipgyer, and onward to Sankalang and Phidang, to determine whether the route is safe for the evacuation of tourists currently stranded in Lachung.