About 1,600 tourists were stranded in Lachen, north Sikkim, after a landslide hit a road connecting the high-altitude tourist destination with the district headquarters in Mangan on April 5. The snowfall, which began on April 7 and continued until April 8, worsened the road condition.
On Wednesday, the army launched a rescue operation called “Hemisto”, although stormy weather slowed down the pace of the operation. Only about 150 tourists had been rescued as of 11am on Thursday.
“In quick response, the Trishakti Corps of the Indian Army’s Eastern Command launched Operation Himsetu to restore access and assist stranded tourists. Despite the harsh weather and heavy snowfall, troops opened important corridors and activated alternative routes to enable evacuation,” an Army statement on Thursday said.
Lachen is among the most popular tourist destinations in Sikkim. Lachen was reopened to tourists on March 1 for two years after floods in October 2023, which followed the explosion of a glacial lake, made it inaccessible. Tourists flock in after road connectivity is restored.
Renam Lachinpa, a resident, said there is an alternative route via Dongka La Pass (179.98 feet above sea level), but it takes a very long time. “The road can only be used as a last option,” he said.
