GANGTOK, June 7: At least 76 army personnel were on Saturday airlifted from Chaten in north Sikkim where road connectivity has been snapped due to multiple landslides triggered by heavy rain, officials said.
This marks the “completion of coordinated evacuation efforts”, which included the rescue of all stranded tourists earlier, they said.
“Altogether 76 army personnel were airlifted by three MI-17 helicopters. The air evacuation operation from Chaten has concluded today with the helicopters transporting army personnel from Chaten to Pakyong Greenfield Airport,” an official said.
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The state government continues to closely monitor the overall situation and remains committed to providing all necessary support in the disaster-hit region and assistance to those affected by natural calamities, another official said.
Heavy rain had triggered multiple landslides in north Sikkim recently, disrupting road connectivity in the region. As a result, more than 1,600 tourists had been stranded in Lachen, Lachung and Chungthang towns for days before they were rescued by the state government.
The Indian army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Border Roads Organisation (BRO), and the Mangan district administration had carried out rescue and search operations for days and evacuated all stranded tourists and local people, the officials said.
Several helicopters were pressed into service to evacuate more than 140 tourists by air, they said.
Three army personnel were killed, four injured and six others went missing after a landslide hit a military camp at Chaten on the evening of June 1. Efforts are underway to locate the missing soldiers. (PTI)
