Sikkim: 1,500 tourists stranded amid heavy rain, landslides; search for 8 missing people halted as Teesta swells

ALabialise 1,500 tourists were stranded crossways compass north Sikkim on sabbatum after landslides -- triggered by uninterrupted rainfall -- blocked key roads.Meanwhile, search efforts for the eight missing tourists were disrupted by heavy rain on Saturday. The rescue operation was later suspended as the Teesta River’s water level rose. The tourists went missing after their vehicle plunged over 1,000 feet into the river in Mangan district on Thursday night near Munsithang, along the Lachen-Lachung highway. The accident killed one person and injured two others.Among the 11 tourists in the vehicle, two—Swayam Supratim Nayak and Sairaj Jena from Odisha—were rescued and are being treated at STNM Hospital in Gangtok. The missing include four from Odisha (Ajit Kumar Nayak, Sunita Nayak, Sahil Jena, Itshiri Jena), two from Tripura (Debjyoti Joy Dev, Swapnanil Deb), and two from Uttar Pradesh (Kaushalendra Pratap Singh, Ankita Singh).Mangan district collector Anant Jain said four ID cards and six mobile phones were recovered from the riverbank near the crash site. The driver, identified as Passang Denu Sherpa from Singhik in North Sikkim, was also among those in the vehicle.Latest updatesThe Teesta River's water level rose sharply due to persistent heavy rainfall. The IMD has urged people to avoid unnecessary travel, stay indoors when possible, and steer clear of riverbanks and unstable slopes.In Mangan, Sikkim, restoration work is ongoing on Sunday morning after one of the bases of the Phidang Bailey Bridge – linking Mangan to Chungthang – was partially damaged by the Teesta's strong current, news agency ANI reported.A video released by ANI on Saturday captured the overflowing Teesta River with locals watching from the riverbanks in north Sikkim, where the water level increased due to intense rain.According to the district administration, landslides occurred in the Theeng and Chungthang areas of north Sikkim, damaging several properties.Mangan SP Sonam Detchu Bhutia on Saturday said, "115 tourists are stranded in Lachen and 1,350 tourists in Lachung. Since exit from both directions is closed due to landslides at multiple locations, the tourists have been advised to remain in their hotels, and once the roads are completely opened, they shall be shifted."Officials said the district experienced relentless rainfall throughout the day, particularly in the Chungthang sub-division. Power supply, which was disrupted on Friday afternoon, was restored by Saturday evening. Authorities also mentioned efforts are in progress to resume drinking water supply by Sunday. Mobile connectivity, cut off for nearly 24 hours, was restored around 3 pm on Saturday.Officials added that a cloudburst in the area contributed to the rise in Teesta's water level.The Lachung road was reopened Saturday evening, but the Pegong (Chungthang) to Phidang route via Shipgyer and Sangkalang remains shut due to multiple landslides. "No tourist permits have been issued today, and will also not be issued tomorrow for visiting north Sikkim," an official told PTI.Mangan District Collector Anant Jain said he is at the site of the tourist vehicle accident in the Teesta, overseeing the rescue operation.SP Sonam Detchu Bhutia on Saturday said, “A continuous heavy rainfall and a swollen Teesta river have hampered the search to locate the eight missing persons.”