Gangtok, June 1: Heavy monsoon rains have unleashed a series of devastating landslides across Sikkim, leaving approximately 1,500 tourists stranded and cutting off crucial road links in North Sikkim. The situation remains precarious, with rescue operations hampered by the incessant downpour and a surging Teesta River, which has claimed the lives of at least one person and left eight tourists missing after their vehicle plunged into its treacherous waters on Thursday.
The District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) issued a red alert on Saturday, echoing warnings from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) regarding the high probability of floods and further landslides in Mangan, Gyalshing, and Soreng districts.
The most critical incident occurred on Thursday in Mangan district when a vehicle carrying 11 tourists veered off the road and plunged over 1,000 feet into the Teesta River near Munsithang, along the Lachen-Lachung highway. One person was confirmed dead and two were injured in the horrific accident. However, the search and rescue efforts for the remaining eight missing tourists have been severely disrupted by the heavy rains and the rapidly rising water levels of the Teesta. Officials confirmed that operations were called off due to the treacherous conditions.
Multiple landslides have severely impacted the main road connecting Chungthang to Lachen and Lachung, effectively stranding a significant number of tourists. The Mangan District Administration has confirmed that 112 tourists are currently stranded in Lachen and a further 1,350 in Lachung, awaiting safe passage.
The Teesta River, already swollen, is flowing at danger level in Chungthang, Mangan District. Visuals from the site of the former Teesta Stage 3 dam, destroyed during the 2023 Glacial Lake Outburst Flood, show construction workers scrambling to clear the work site as water levels continue to rise.
Adding to the region’s isolation, one of the bases of the Phidang Bailey Bridge, a vital link connecting Mangan to Chungthang, has sustained partial damage due to the fierce current of the Teesta. This damage has completely cut off the Dzongu constituency, affecting 13 Gram Panchayat Units (GPUs) and leaving thousands isolated.
Authorities are urging residents and tourists to exercise extreme caution and are working to assess the full extent of the damage and facilitate rescue and relief operations as soon as weather conditions permit.
