Chaten, Sikkim: A massive landslide struck North Sikkim’s remote Chaten area on Sunday evening (June 1), leaving three people dead and six security personnel missing, according to a report by The Times of India.
The disaster, which comes after days of heavy rain, has not only devastated local habitats but also stranded over 1,200 tourists in the Lachen and Lachung regions, prompting large-scale evacuation efforts led by both officials and local communities.
Here are some visuals from the scene:
The response effort is being bolstered by the local Lachungpa community, who have stepped in as first responders. Gyatso Lachungpa, president of the Lachung Hotel Association, has been coordinating logistics alongside police, forest officials, and villagers. “We’ve been helping carry luggage, guiding families with children, and even providing food,” he told ANI.
Evacuation work faced serious delays due to a fresh landslide in Shipgyer, Upper Dzongu, on Friday, which blocked routes. However, efforts resumed on Monday after restoration of limited access. The damaged Phidang bridge, crucial for reaching the Dzongu constituency, has now been repaired for pedestrian movement by the General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF).
Search Operations Hampered by Rain and Rising River
The search for the missing personnel continues under challenging conditions. Superintendent of Police, Mangan district, Dechu Bhutia, confirmed that search teams had located mobile phones and ID cards, but the missing vehicle and bodies remain elusive. “A body was spotted on a cliff, but visibility and access remain impossible due to the swelling river,” SP Bhutia told PTI.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast more heavy to extremely heavy rainfall across the region through early June, further complicating recovery and evacuation operations.
