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.
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