Over 2,400 tourists stranded in Sikkim

Indian Army rescues tourists stranded due to landslides and roadblocks that hit Pegong at Mangan district in Gangtok on Saturday. Pic/PTI

More than 2,400 tourists, including 60 college students were stranded in Lachen and Lachung area of North Sikkim district due to road blockades following incessant rainfall since the last three days, officials said on Saturday.

The district administration has pressed into service 19 buses and 70 smaller vehicles to evacuate the 2,464 stranded tourists, officials said. As of now, three buses and two other vehicles carrying 123 tourists have left for the state capital Gangtok, they said.

Personnel from Quick Reaction Team of the District Disaster Management Authority, Sikkim Police, GREF, BRO, ITBP, Army, Travel Agency Association Sikkim are working together to carry out evacuation of stranded tourists, they said. Meanwhile, the road to Chungthang has been blocked at numerous points. The restoration works will start only after the rain stops.

The North Sikkim district administration has set up helpline numbers - 8509822997 /116464265 - for the public to contact in case of any query about stranded tourists, officials added.

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever