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Sikkim lanslide: 63 stranded tourists airlifted in 2 batches, 15 still missing
Six Army personnel, nine civilians among those missing.
People evacuated from Chaten in Lachen, Wednesday. (ANI)
In a concerted effort to ensure the safety of tourists amidst challenging weather conditions, the government of Sikkim successfully airlifted 63 stranded tourists from Chaten to Pakyong Greenfield Airport on Thursday, officials said.
Landslides and flash floods caused by heavy rain since May 29 have left thousands of tourists stranded. According to officials more than 1,800 tourists have been rescued from Sikkim till now and two batches were evacuated on Thursday.
According to a statement by the Ministry of Defence, the relief operations in Sikkim continued with the IAF employing four MI-17 and two Cheetah helicopters into service, through which they were able to reach the isolated and severely affected areas of Chaten.
The helicopters also delivered 6,000 kg of relief material in 22 sorties, providing critical aid to stranded civilians, service personnel, and foreigners in the landslide-affected area.
Chaten is located near Lachen, a small town in Mangan district, which is used by travellers to reach Gurudongmar Lake, which is a popular tourist destination.
Sonam Detchu Bhutia, Superintendent of Police (SP), Mangan district, in North Sikkim while speaking with The Indian Express, “Rescue operations are ongoing and 63 tourists are still stranded in Sikkim. The total number of missing persons stands at 15, comprising six army personnel and nine civilians.”
SP Bhutia said that efforts to locate the six missing army personnel after the landslide at the military camp have been unsuccessful. “Those who are missing post that incident are feared to have gotten buried in the debris, which was flown away by the river, hence it has not been possible to rescue them,” he said.
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Officials said the initial evacuation on Thursday saw two MI-17 helicopters transport 39 evacuees and a Cheetah helicopter transport four others from Chaten to Pakyong, after which 20 more tourists, including foreign nationals, were carried in the second phase to the Pakyong Greenfield Airport.
For the first phase, following their arrival at Pakyong, the state government arranged Sikkim Nationalised Transport (SNT) buses to facilitate their onward commute to Siliguri.
An MI-17 helicopter was also placed on standby for tourists preferring air transit to Bagdogra.
For the second batch, SNT buses have been arranged for a commute to Gangtok, while a separate MI-17 helicopter sortie was organised for those opting to travel to Bagdogra.
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“The state government continues to prioritise the safety and comfort of tourists during these unprecedented weather conditions,” read a statement issued by the Government of Sikkim.
According to a senior Sikkim police official, the roads are clear up to Mangan, but the Mangan-Chungthang stretch is in poor condition, and authorities have advised against travel on the route. Additionally, Lachen remains cut off from the rest of the district, hindering rescue and relief operations.
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