The first batch of 18 tourist vehicles from North Sikkim's Lachung, carrying more than 100 stranded tourists, have reached Phidang in Lower Dzongu, officials said on Monday. Mangan District Collector Anant Jain led the convoy to ensure that the tourists are safely transported back.
From Phidang the tourists will move to Gangtok. The evacuation of the stranded tourists from Lachung began this morning with coordinated effort from the local administration and police, Army, BRO, ITBP, Forest Department, Lachung Dzumsa, TAAS, SHRA, Drivers' Associations, other tourism stakeholders and local public, officials said.
As per the latest update, another tourist convoy comprising 284 vehicles, 16 bikes with 1,678 tourists (Male 737, Female 561, Child 380) has crossed Theng Check Post and is heading towards Phidang.
Lauding everyone involved in the evacuation process, Jain said that all the tourists from Lachung will be transported back safely today from the Lachung-Chungthang-Siphgyer-Phidang route and onwards to Gangtok.
Jain further said that efforts are underway to restore road connectivity to Lachen and added that once the road is ready, tourists stranded in Lachen will also be evacuated. The tourists were stranded in north Sikkim as heavy rains battered Mangan district.
Two bridges were partially damaged due to inclement weather conditions, they said. The BRO said that a sudden cloudburst followed by incessant heavy rains on May 30 caused havoc in North Sikkim. -- PTI
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