Sikkim Landslide Crisis: Trapped Tourists, Blocked Roads, and Monsoon Mayhem in the Himalayas

Highlights Landslides have hit Chaten, Lachen, and Lachung in North Sikkim since 29 May 2025. Mangan district remains the worst-affected area in the region. Around 2,000 tourists were stranded across North Sikkim. The Indian Army and Air Force led rescue efforts with local teams despite harsh weather.

North Sikkim has been in a deep crisis due to a series of devastating landslides, triggered by relentless monsoon rains since 29th May 2025. The natural disaster has not only claimed precious lives but also isolated communities and stranded thousands of tourists in the Himalayas. With rainfall of more than 130mm, a vast amount of damage took place along the various routes to prominent tourist destinations, including Lachen, Lachung, Gurudongmar, Zero Point, and the Valley of Flowers[1].

Widespread Damage Due to Flood-Like Conditions and the Following Landslides

The Mangan district in north Sikkim is the worst-hit area, where the monsoon deluge has caused extensive damage. The dangerously overflowing Teesta River has inundated many areas, leaving innumerable people homeless.

Uncountable electric poles have been swept away by the torrential forces of the river and landslides, leading to extensive power outages across north Sikkim. Mobile network services have been severely disrupted, hindering the coordination and communication of relief efforts.

Stranded Tourists and Infrastructure Collapse

On 1st June, a landslide struck an Indian Army Camp in Chaten, near Lachen in Mangan District, leading to the death of 3 soldiers(3)(4). Others remain missing as the search operations continue amidst challenging natural conditions.

Almost 2,000 tourists had been stranded in various areas of North Sikkim, including Lachen, Lachung, and Chungthang towns. The main road connecting Chungthan to Lachen and Lachung experienced multiple landslides, disrupting the total system in the area.

The devastating landslides and flooding made the roads impassable and damaged key bridges, such as Phidang and Sangkalang, which are vital for connectivity. These complicated evacuation efforts significantly.

Indian Army Carries Out Rescue Operations Amidst Inclement Weather Conditions

However, rescue operations started at the earliest with the Indian Army operating effortlessly amidst inclement weather conditions. The evacuation process of the stranded tourists also began once the Border Road Organisation (BRO) restored the road connectivity to Lachung in the Mangan district of North Sikkim.

The BRO teams not only cleared the debris from the landslide but also reconstructed the damaged stretches and the dangerous breaches to pave the way for the evacuation of the stranded tourists via the Lachung-Chungthang-Shipgyere-Sanklang-Dikchu road.

As per information from DGP Akshay Sachdeva, almost 1678 tourists who were stranded in Lachung and Chungthan were evacuated[2]. These tourists departed for Gangtok via Phidang, near Dzongu town, by vehicle and motorcycle. Almost 34 tourists, including foreigners and family members of the armed forces, were airlifted from various places where it was difficult to reach by road.

Rescue operations are still on for missing persons from the site of the landslide at Chaten in North Sikkim. Out of 6 people, the bodies of 3 people have been found[3] [4]. Along with the Indian Army, local authorities and disaster response teams are working incessantly to find the missing people. However, search operations are being strongly hampered by extremely bad weather conditions, challenging high-altitude terrain and unstable ground conditions.

Sikkim Tourist Passes Suspended For The Time Being

Keeping the current devastating scenario in mind, the Sikkim government has suspended tourist passes for the time being due to the flooding and landslides in North Sikkim[5].

The Sikkim government has initiated relief measures, setting up camps for displaced individuals and coordinating with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) to restore connectivity.

Authorities have issued advisories urging tourists to avoid travel to North Sikkim until restoration work is complete. The India Meteorological Department has forecast continued heavy rainfall in the region, prompting red alerts and necessitating heightened vigilance.