Fifteen more stranded tourists were evacuated from Lachung and adjoining regions of Sikkim's landslides-hit Mangan district on June 18, officials said.
The district administration along with Border Roads Organisation (BRO), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and other volunteers are taking the stranded tourists to safer grounds, officials said. More tourists are likely to be evacuated and moved to safer places as the day progresses, they said.
Sixty-four tourists were evacuated from North Sikkim's Lachung on June 17 and moved to Mangan town, officials said.
The district administration had to set up log bridges over the slides to facilitate movement by foot and by vehicles where roads were motorable, they said.
Schools closed in Mangan
The Mangan district administration has ordered the closure of all government schools in the district with immediate effect on June 18 due to safety concerns of students.
An order issued by District Magistrate Hem Kumar Chettri said government schools in Manul, Singhik, Mangan and Mangshilla clusters of Mangan block and Lingdong, Hee Gyathang, Passingdong, Lingzya, Tingvong and Gor clusters of Dzongu block will remain closed till further orders.
It stated that the district magistrate deemed it unsafe for the students to attend schools in view of the damage to property and road blockages in different areas of Mangan district due to continuous and heavy rainfall that occurred on the intervening night of June 12-13.
The heads and staff of schools shall remain in the station, the order said, adding the decision shall come into force with immediate effect and shall remain valid till further orders.
Incessant rains
Incessant rains since June 12 wreaked havoc in Mangan, causing multiple landslides, and severing connectivity to most parts of the district. Due to the blockage of various roads at several locations, around 1,200 tourists were stranded in Lachung town, officials said.
At least six people have been killed in Sikkim due to landslides triggered by heavy rain over the past few days. The natural calamity has also damaged properties and disrupted power and food supplies and mobile networks in several areas, officials said.
Rescue and restoration efforts are on
The situation became grave after the collapse of the newly constructed suspension bridge at Sanklang as it was the main connection to North Sikkim and Dzongu, they said. "Responding to the natural disaster by overcoming severe weather conditions and heavy rainfall in the region, the BRO launched restoration efforts by mobilising huge manpower and machinery to restore connectivity to North Sikkim at the earliest," a statement said.
"Swift and efficient response by a brave team of 758 BRTF under Project Swastik once again demonstrated their selfless commitment, resilience and determination in restoring vital connectivity and rescue of stranded tourists from North Sikkim," it added.
