Indian Army leads search and rescue operations in North Sikkim

by IANS |

Gangtok, June 4 (IANS) In the aftermath of the devastating landslide in North Sikkim, the Indian Army is working relentlessly under extreme weather and hazardous terrain conditions to assist residents and stranded tourists, officials said on Wednesday.

A senior official said that Lachen village, the main hub for tourism in the region, has been completely cut off. The Army has established foot connectivity to the village and reached out to 113 stranded tourists, who will be evacuated soon.

“On Tuesday, 30 tourists, including some foreign nationals, were successfully airlifted by military helicopters,” he added.

Search operations have continued with urgency to locate the six individuals still missing after the landslide struck a military camp at Chaten. The missing include Lieutenant Colonel Pritpal Singh Sandhu, Subedar Dharamveer, Naik Sunilal Muchahary, Sepoy Sainudheen P.K., Squadron Leader Aarti Sandhu (Retd), wife of Lieutenant Colonel Sandhu, and their daughter, Miss Amayra Sandhu.

The Army has deployed specialised teams and engineering equipment; however, the ongoing efforts have been significantly hampered by extremely bad weather, unstable ground, and the challenging high-altitude terrain.

Meanwhile, amid relentless rainfall triggering floods and landslides across the Northeastern region, Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) and Communications, Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, has assured comprehensive support from the Central government to the affected states.

In a series of high-level communications, Scindia reached out to the Chief Ministers of Assam and Sikkim, as well as the Governor of Manipur, to take stock of the evolving situation and convey the Centre’s solidarity with the people of the region.

During his conversation with Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, Scindia pledged the Centre’s full cooperation, stating, “We remain firmly committed to supporting the people of Sikkim in this challenging time.”

He also spoke with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, assuring him of all necessary assistance for relief and rehabilitation measures.

The Union Minister also engaged with Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla to discuss the impact of the adverse weather in the state, reaffirming the government’s resolve to extend all possible help.

Taking to the social media platform X, Scindia posted updates on his outreach and reiterated the Centre’s commitment to a swift, coordinated response, standing in solidarity with the northeast during this crisis.