Rescue & evacuation operations continue amid inclement weather in North Sikkim; 109 tourists have reached Chaten from Lachen

Darjeeling: In the wake of devastating landslides that struck the high-altitude region of North Sikkim, the Indian Army has launched massive search, rescue and evacuation operations. However, inclement weather has emerged as a major hurdle to the continued efforts. The picturesque Lachen village, a major tourism hub in North Sikkim has been completely cut off. The Indian Army has established foot connectivity to the village and reached out to 113 stranded tourists. 109 tourists have reached Chaten from Lachen and have been accommodated in hotels. On June 3, a successful aerial operation saw around 33 tourists — including foreign nationals — airlifted to safety by air force helicopters. “In response to the devastating landslides in Sikkim, Indian Airforce Mi-17 helicopters rapidly launched HADR Ops — airdropping relief supplies, inserting NDRF teams, and evacuating 33 stranded individuals, including two US nationals, from the remote Chaten region,” stated an Indian Air Force post on X.

Meanwhile, search efforts are being carried out on a war footing to locate six missing Army personnel who were buried under the debris after a huge landslide struck a military camp in Chaten on the night of June 1. Among the missing are Lieutenant Colonel Pritpal Singh Sandhu; Subedar Dharamveer, Naik Sunilal Muchahary, Sepoy Sainudheen PK, Squadron Leader Aarti Sandhu (Retd) — the wife of Lt. Col. Sandhu — and their young daughter, Amayra Sandhu. Despite hostile weather and unstable ground conditions, the Army has deployed specialised teams and engineering equipment to continue the search. “We have recovered three mortal remains from the landslide while 6 persons are missing. Search, rescue and evacuation ops will continue. As soon as the weather becomes a bit more conducive, our priority will be to evacuate the stranded tourists while search operations continue here in Chaten,” stated an Army official.

“The Indian Army remains committed. Every life matters and every effort continues,” stated the PRO Defence in a press release. As part of evacuation efforts, two military helicopters have been stationed at Pakyong Airport since June 3. In anticipation of continued weather disruptions, authorities are now activating Plan B: Ground Transshipment. This alternative route from Lachen to Chungthang (28 km) includes 4-5 critical block points, including damaged roads and collapsed bridges. Teams from the Indian Army, NDRF, GREF, local administration and volunteers have mobilised on both ends — constructing footpaths, temporary wooden bridges and ensuring basic connectivity to facilitate the movement of stranded individuals. All travel organisations are urged to remain on high alert and coordinate swiftly for the evacuation of tourists once the route is declared safe for foot-based transhipment. The Indian Meteorological Department has issued a ‘Yellow’ rainfall warning for North Sikkim for Thursday. Meanwhile, a stretch of the National Highway 10 has been damaged owing to incessant rainfall at Likhuvir in the Kalimpong district. The district administration has restricted heavy vehicle movement owing to this.