Heavy rainfall has wreaked havoc in North Sikkim, causing the Teesta River too rise above danger levels and leading to significant landslides. on Sunday, the situation worsened as the Chungthang dam’s quality control laboratory was submerged, and the Feidang Bailey Bridge suffered severe damage from falling rocks and concrete. With power and drinking water supplies cut off, residents are grappling with food shortages as multiple roads remain blocked.
In the midst of this chaos, over 1,500 tourists are stranded in various parts of North Sikkim. The local administration has advised them to stay in their hotels until the roads are cleared for safe passage back to Gangtok. Superintendent of Police Sonam Dechhu Bhutia reported that the main roads have been obstructed due to continuous rainfall, leaving 115 tourists trapped in Lachen and 1,350 in Lachung. The landslides have blocked all exit routes, and a tragic incident on Thursday night saw a tourist vehicle plunge into a thousand-foot gorge, resulting in one fatality, while eight others remain missing despite rescue efforts.
