The ongoing, intense rains and landslides have left more than 1,000 tourists stuck in different parts of North Sikkim. Police sources said that some 1,000 visitors are still stranded in Lachung, while another 200 tourist vehicles are now stalled at the ITBP camp and Chungthang Gurudwara. Important routes, such as the Lachen-Chungthang route, have been hit by landslides at Munshithang.
According to Sonam Dechu Bhutia, the Mangan District Superintendent of Police, heavy rain has made it difficult to approach Chungthang at night even if the roads leading up to it are passable. North Sikkim is experiencing flood-like conditions as a result of the constant rain, which has seriously disrupted road connection and travel safety. Because of the ongoing bad weather and road closures, authorities have deemed previously granted advanced permits void and revoked all travel permits for North Sikkim scheduled for today.
The state is expected to have heavy to very heavy rainfall over the next two days, according to a red advisory issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The old Rang-Rang bridge, which is regarded as the entryway to North Sikkim, was damaged by several landslides caused by high rainfall in September of last year, so this is not the first time that heavy rainfall has caused landslides in Sikkim.
