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Operation HimSetu: Battling snowfall, Army rescues over 1,400 people stranded by bridge collapse in North Sikkim
A massive landslide in North Sikkim caused a bridge to collapse within a month after its inauguration, effectively severing connectivity to Lachen.
The Army has installed a walkable bridge at the site of the collapse. (Photo X/
EasternCommand_IA)
The Army’s Eastern Command has successfully completed a major rescue mission, Operation HimSetu, to evacuate tourists stranded in North Sikkim after a series of massive landslides and a bridge collapse severed vital road links.
The Eastern Command safely evacuated 1,321 tourists and 84 local residents in “an incident-free, coordinated and seamless manner” within 48 hours, despite adverse weather conditions, said sources.
Battling heavy snowfall near the India-China border, rescue teams remained on the ground to assist the tourists.
A massive landslide in North Sikkim caused a section of the newly constructed bridge to collapse, effectively severing connectivity to Lachen.
The crisis was triggered by the collapse of a road and a newly constructed bridge near Tarum Chu. The bridge, inaugurated in February, collapsed within a month due to the relentless storms and heavy snowfall that had battered the region for weeks.
The Army on Thursday installed a foot bridge at the site of the collapse. The temporary structure allowed stranded individuals to cross the affected area on foot, from where they are being transported back to the state capital, Gangtok.
Reception centres were established at key locations to provide food, shelter and medical care, said sources. Army vehicles also assisted in towing civilian vehicles across the difficult terrain. The operation was executed in close coordination with the civil administration and the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), which simultaneously undertook road clearance, snow removal and restoration of connectivity.
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The evacuation effort was led by the Trishakti Corps under Eastern Command, Indian Army, with troops maintaining continuous ground presence to ensure safe and orderly movement throughout the operation. An Army official stated, “Troops ensured restoration of connectivity, including construction of temporary bridges and safe crossing points, enabling uninterrupted evacuation despite adverse conditions.” The situation remains under continuous monitoring.
Earlier in the day, the Ministry of Defence in a statement had shared: “Trishakti Corps continues to spearhead evacuation efforts despite heavy snowfall and extreme weather… tourists have been safely evacuated, with medical cases given priority.”
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