Greater than 100 stranded vacationers evacuated safely from Lachung: officers

The evacuation of the stranded vacationers from Lachung started on June 2, 2025 morning. File
| Photograph Credit score: PTI

The primary batch of 18 vacationer autos from north Sikkim’s Lachung, carrying greater than 100 stranded vacationers, have reached Phidang in Decrease Dzongu, officers stated on Monday (June 2, 2025).

Mangan District Collector Anant Jain led the convoy to make sure that the vacationers are safely transported again. From Phidang the vacationers will transfer to Gangtok.

The evacuation of the stranded vacationers from Lachung started this morning with coordinated effort from the native administration and police, Military, BRO, ITBP, Forest Division, Lachung Dzumsa, TAAS, SHRA, Drivers’ Associations, different tourism stakeholders and native public, officers stated.

As per the most recent replace, one other vacationer convoy comprising 284 autos, 16 bikes with 1,678 vacationers (737 male, 561 feminine, 380 youngsters) has crossed Theng Test Submit and is heading in direction of Phidang.

Lauding everybody concerned within the evacuation course of, Mr. Jain stated that each one the vacationers from Lachung will probably be transported again safely at this time from the Lachung-Chungthang-Siphgyer-Phidang route and onwards to Gangtok. Mr. Jain additional stated that efforts are underway to revive highway connectivity to Lachen and added that when the highway is prepared, vacationers stranded in Lachen may also be evacuated.

The vacationers had been stranded in north Sikkim as heavy rains battered Mangan district. Two bridges had been partially broken as a result of inclement climate situations, they stated. The BRO stated {that a} sudden cloudburst adopted by incessant heavy rains on Could 30 brought about havoc in north Sikkim.

In the meantime, Sikkim DGP Akshay Sachdeva personally acquired all vacationers evacuated from Lachung.

Mr. Sachdeva, together with IGP Regulation and Order Tashi Wangyal, DIG Vary Gangtok Pratap Pradhan, and SP Mangan Sonam Detchu Bhutia had been current at Phidang to obtain the vacationers.

The vacationers expressed their gratitude to the Authorities of Sikkim and all of the companies concerned within the evacuation course of.

In one other growth, the Tourism and Civil Aviation Division, in an announcement, suggested all vacationers to train warning whereas travelling and to plan their journeys primarily based on the most recent highway and climate updates from official sources.

With the monsoon season approaching, heavy rainfall within the area could result in landslides and highway blockages, significantly on routes resulting in distant vacationer locations.

“Your security stays our utmost precedence. Within the occasion of highway blockages or any unexpected circumstances, mandatory aid and evacuation assist will probably be promptly supplied to the stranded vacationers,” it stated.

Mangan district authorities have additionally resumed search and rescue operations for 9 lacking vacationers (together with the driving force) when their automobile plunged into Teesta river in Mangan district on Could 29, following enchancment in climate situations.

The operation is being carried out below the shut supervision of the district police, district administration, ITBP, Military, Tourism and Civil Aviation division, BRO, NDRF, GREF, Hearth and medical groups and different stakeholders.

The 2 vacationers who had been rescued and had been receiving medical remedy at STNM Hospital, Gangtok at the moment are in steady situation and recovering nicely, officers stated.