Gangtok: At least 76 army personnel were on Saturday airlifted from Chaten in North Sikkim, where road connectivity has been snapped due to multiple landslides triggered by heavy rains, officials said.
This marks the “completion of coordinated evacuation efforts”, which included the rescue of all stranded tourists earlier, they said.
“Altogether 76 army personnel were airlifted by three MI-17 helicopters. The air evacuation operation from Chaten has concluded today with the helicopters transporting army personnel from Chaten to Pakyong Greenfield Airport,” an official said.
Heavy rainfall in North Sikkim recently triggered multiple landslides, severely disrupting road connectivity. Over 1,600 tourists were left stranded across the towns of Lachen, Lachung, and Chungthang. These tourists were successfully rescued through combined efforts by the Indian Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Border Roads Organisation (BRO), and the Mangan district administration.
Several helicopters were pressed into service to evacuate more than 140 tourists by air, officials confirmed.
A particularly tragic incident occurred on the evening of June 1, when a massive landslide struck a military camp in Chaten. Three army personnel lost their lives, four were injured, and six others went missing. “Efforts are underway to locate the missing soldiers,” said an official.
The state government continues to monitor the overall situation and has assured that all necessary support will be extended to those affected. “The government remains committed to providing all necessary support in the disaster-hit region and assistance to those affected by natural calamities,” another official said.
