Tourists Stranded in North Sikkim After Heavy Rains and Landslides

Incessant heavy showers and continuous landslides in North Sikkim have kept more than 1,500 tourists stranded in the vicinity since Saturday, May 31, 2025. The situation turned grave with rescues of the missing tourists getting canceled because of bad weather and the rising Teesta River.

The landslides were triggered because continuous rainfall battered the area, especially the Mangan and Chungthang subdivisions, according to local officials. The areas of Lachen and Lachung have been most affected and are major tourist hubs of Sikkim.

Tourist Vehicle Plunges Into the Teesta: One Dead, Eight Missing

On the unfortunate night of Thursday, a vehicle carrying 11 tourists plunged over 1,000 feet into the swollen river Teesta near Munsithang on the Lachen-Lachung highway in Mangan district.

As per the report, one person died, two were rescued and are undergoing treatment in Gangtok, and eight are still missing. The victims hail respectively from various states, including Odisha, Tripura, and Uttar Pradesh. For a deeper look into the human impact of such calamities, read Surviving the Worst: Real Stories from People Who Lived Through Major Natural Disasters, where survivors recount their harrowing experiences.

The ones missing have been named as:

• Ajit Kumar Nayak, Sunita Nayak, Sahil Jena, and Itshiri Jena from Odisha
• Debjyoti Joy Dev and Swapnanil Deb from Tripura
• Kaushalendra Pratap Singh and Ankita Singh from Uttar Pradesh
• The driver, Passang Denu Sherpa of Singhik in North Sikkim, is also among the missing.

Bad Weather disrupted rescue Operations

Search and rescue operations met with fresh setbacks with unending rainfall and the sudden rise of water levels in the Teesta River. Officials suspended the search for the present, hoping to resume once the weather becomes favorable.

During the initial search, authorities found four identity cards and six mobile phones near the riverbank that allegedly belonged to the missing passengers. In such situations, the role of drones and robots in disaster management becomes increasingly crucial to enhance rescue efforts and ensure safety during hostile conditions.

District Collector Anant Jain is currently at the accident site, monitoring the rescue operations. Meanwhile, Sonam Detchu Bhutia from Mangan is declaring that they will proceed with rescue operations once the situation becomes favorable to do so.

Thousands of Tourists Trapped in Lachen and Lachung

A total of 115 tourists are trapped in Lachen and approximately 1,350 in Lachung. With both entry and exit points blocked by landslides, local authorities have asked all tourists to remain in their hotels until roads are cleared.

The officials assured that tourists would be evacuated once the roads were safe and open. In the meantime, no travel permits are being issued for travel to North Sikkim until further instructions.

Power and Connectivity Partially Restored

The Chungthang subdivision experienced acute dislocation in basic services. While the power supply was disconnected on Friday, it had been restored by Saturday evening. Mobile phone connectivity also came back after 24 hours, at around 3 PM, providing some respite to stranded tourists and their relatives.

Efforts to restore the water supply, however, continue and will be completed by Sunday.

Road Update and Travel Advisory

Although the Lachung road has been reopened, the road between Pegong (Chungthang) and Phidang through Shipgyer and Sangkalang is still blocked. Because of repeated landslides, the administration has banned tourist travel to North Sikkim for the time being.

Conclusion

The current situation in North Sikkim highlights how fast nature can turn a peaceful vacation into a disaster. The efforts by the administration and rescue teams continue against the difficult weather conditions. Tourists and residents are said to stay updated with official announcements and not travel to North Sikkim until the situation is under control and all rescue operations are completed.