Gangtok, June 6 At least 80 tourists stranded in the northern part of Sikkim due to inclement weather and landslides have been safely evacuated, an official said on Friday.
A total of four helicopter sorties were conducted from Pakyong Greenfield Airport to Chaten using MI-02, MI-49, and MI-39 helicopters, resulting in the evacuation of 80 individuals.
Among those evacuated, 63 persons were tourists, while 17 were locals. To ensure their further travel to Gangtok, the state government arranged state transport buses at the airport for the convenience of the evacuees.
In order to address an immediate health concern, a medical team from the Health and Family Welfare Department, Pakyong, was deployed at the airport to conduct basic health check-ups upon arrival.
An official said that to provide information and support to the stranded tourists, the Information Centre was set up at the airport by the Tourism and Civil Aviation Department, Government of Sikkim.
Furthermore, a legal aid clinic by Sikkim State Legal Services Authority under the NALSA (Legal Services to Disaster Victims Through Legal Services Authorities) scheme was set up.
The clinic provided assistance in the reconstruction of valuable documents in the affected area. As per the current plan, helicopter services will resume tomorrow.
The helicopters will be used to transport essential relief materials from Pakyong Airport to Chaten. Additionally, arrangements will be made to bring back the remaining local residents who are still stranded in the area.
The administration continues to monitor the situation and remains committed to extending all necessary support.
Earlier, Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang on Thursday said that only the Lachen and Lachung sectors in the northern part of the mountain state are closed to visitors at the moment, and the rest of the tourist places are now open for tourists.
"Sikkim continues to welcome tourists. All six districts, not just Mangan, have beautiful destinations open for travel," he said, urging tourists to explore the various naturally blissful places of the state.
He also addressed recent misinformation surrounding infrastructure damage in the region. It was previously reported that five bridges were washed away during the 2023 Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF).
However, the CM clarified that these bridges were damaged during this year's monsoon due to unusually heavy rainfall.
Chief Minister Tamang added that the state, with support from the Central government, is committed to long-term development and is focusing on rebuilding and strengthening all vulnerable bridges across Sikkim to prevent future disruptions.
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