Gangtok, March 25: Heavy and persistent rainfall across North Sikkim has triggered a series of massive landslides, severely disrupting road connectivity and leaving approximately 150 to 200 tourists stranded in the Chungthang region. The landslides, which intensified on Tuesday night, have blocked several key stretches along the crucial Mangan-Chungthang and Chungthang-Lachen routes.

Mangan District Collector Anant Jain confirmed that the primary blockages occurred along the road to Lachen, leaving a significant number of travelers stuck midway. In a coordinated relief effort, the district administration, alongside the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), has moved the stranded visitors to safety. Most are currently being accommodated at the ITBP camp and a local gurudwara in Chungthang, where they are being provided with food, water, and medical assistance.

While the route toward Lachen remains completely closed to vehicular traffic, officials reported that the road to Lachung was cleared earlier this morning, allowing several groups of tourists to be safely escorted back toward Gangtok. However, intermittent rain continues to hamper restoration efforts at other major slide points.

The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has deployed heavy machinery and personnel to clear the debris, but the instability of the terrain remains a high concern. Authorities have issued a fresh advisory urging travelers to postpone journeys to North Sikkim until the weather stabilizes and the routes are officially declared safe.

This latest disruption comes just weeks after the Lachen route had reopened on March 9, following extensive repairs necessitated by the 2023 glacial lake outburst flood. In addition to the landslides in the north, high-altitude destinations in East Sikkim, including Tsomgo Lake and Nathula Pass, also remain closed to visitors due to heavy snowfall and an active avalanche alert in the region.