1,800 tourists still stuck in Sikkim’s Lachen, Lachung after landslides

Siliguri: At least 1,800 tourists remain stranded in north Sikkim after roads were damaged following landslides in the region on Thursday, Sikkim government official said.

The official added that around 560 tourists are stuck in Lachen and another 1,200 in Lachung, two high-altitude hill stations in north Sikkim.

“The road between Lachung and Chungthang is expected to be opened by Saturday evening. But the road between Lachen and Chungthang will take some time to be opened. Tourists stranded even in Lachen would be taken out making detour via Lachung,” Mangan’s superintendent of police Sonam Detchu Bhutia said.

On Friday, 1,200 tourists were reportedly stranded, but an officer said that, according to new reports on Saturday, around 1,800 tourists are currently expected to be in Lachen and Lachung.

Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) along with locals residents and police are working to restore the road connectivity.

Telephone lines and electricity are still working, said the officer, adding that tourists have been asked to stay in hotels until they are rescued.

“All hotels at Lachen are providing free lodging and food to the stranded tourists in their respective hotels where they were already staying,” president of Lachen Hotel Owners’ Association Rinam Lachenpa told HT.

“If required we will help the stranded tourists to move out on foot. In that case they need to walk at some places where the road is blocked. In between they will travel in vehicles,” Lachenpa added.

According to an official communication received on Thursday night, significant landslides have occurred at Munshithang on the Lachen–Chungthang road and at Lema/Bob on the Lachung–Chungthang stretch.

The district administration has directed tour operators not to send tourists to north Sikkim under any circumstances till the situation improves.Officials said that all travel permits for north Sikkim for Friday have been cancelled, including those already issued in advance due to the road condition.

Tourists who could not reach to Lachen and Lachung due to landslides on Thursday were rescued on Friday morning and given shelters and food at different locations in Chungthang.

Around 57 tourists stranded on the way were given shelters in local villages on Thursday night. They have been safely moved to Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim.

Lachen was among the places in Sikkim that were worst hit due to the October 2023 Glacial Lake Outburst Flood. It was disconnected for almost one and half years. It opened up to tourists this year from March.