ANIAt least three army personnel were killed and six reported missing after a rain-triggered landslide struck a military camp at Chaten in Sikkim’s Lachen district on June 1.A defence spokesperson said prompt rescue work helped four individuals escape with minor injuries when the landslide struck at around 7 pm. The bodies of those killed--havaldar Lakhwinder Singh, lance naik Munish Thakur and porter Abhishek Lakhada—have been recovered.
The region has been cut off since May 30, after a cloudburst and over 130 mm of rainfall caused large-scale landslides and breaches along the Dikchu–Sanklang–Shipgyere Road, and the Chungthang-Lachen-Zeema and Chungthang-Lachung routes.
Rescue teams are working around the clock in difficult terrain and under adverse weather conditions, the spokesperson said, adding that the army is providing necessary support to the bereaved families.
The large-scale evacuation began early Monday morning after the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) restored one-way vehicular connectivity to Lachung. The restoration followed a massive effort to clear landslides and reconstruct the damaged road sections, including the breach near the Phidang suspension bridge. The route—via Lachung, Chungthang, Siphgyer and Phidang—served as the lifeline for bringing the stranded tourists to safety.A total of 1,678 tourists — including 737 men, 561 women and 380 children — in 284 vehicles and 16 motorbikes have crossed the Theng Check Post and are enroute to Gangtok.The rescue operation was led by Mangan district collector Anant Jain, who ensured the safe passage of all tourists and praised the coordinated efforts of multiple agencies.
The region has been cut off since May 30, after a cloudburst and over 130 mm of rainfall caused large-scale landslides and breaches along the Dikchu–Sanklang–Shipgyere Road, and the Chungthang-Lachen-Zeema and Chungthang-Lachung routes.
Rescue teams are working around the clock in difficult terrain and under adverse weather conditions, the spokesperson said, adding that the army is providing necessary support to the bereaved families.
Officials said all tourists stranded in Lachung in Sikkim’s Mangan district have been evacuated.
The large-scale evacuation began early Monday morning after the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) restored one-way vehicular connectivity to Lachung. The restoration followed a massive effort to clear landslides and reconstruct the damaged road sections, including the breach near the Phidang suspension bridge. The route—via Lachung, Chungthang, Siphgyer and Phidang—served as the lifeline for bringing the stranded tourists to safety.A total of 1,678 tourists — including 737 men, 561 women and 380 children — in 284 vehicles and 16 motorbikes have crossed the Theng Check Post and are enroute to Gangtok.The rescue operation was led by Mangan district collector Anant Jain, who ensured the safe passage of all tourists and praised the coordinated efforts of multiple agencies.
“This evacuation was made possible by the tireless work of the local administration, Sikkim Police, Army, BRO, ITBP, the forest department, Lachung Dzumsa, TAAS, SHRA, Drivers’ Associations, and the resilient local community,” said Jain.
The region had been cut off since May 30, after a sudden cloudburst and over 130 mm of rainfall caused large-scale landslides and breaches along the Dikchu–Sanklang–Shipgyere Road, and the Chungthang-Lachen-Zeema and Chungthang-Lachung routes.
Two key bridges were also partially damaged, compounding the crisis in one of Sikkim’s most visited high-altitude areas.
