500 tourists stranded in north Sikkim, search for 8 missing called off amid heavy rains

At least 500 tourists were stranded in various parts of North Sikkim on Saturday as the main road was blocked by landslides due to incessant rains, officials said.

On the other side, the search for the missing eight tourists was disrupted by heavy rains, and it was finally called off after the water level in the Teesta river increased, they said.

One person was killed, two injured, and eight others went missing when a vehicle in which 11 tourists were travelling plunged into the Teesta river in Mangan district on Thursday night. The vehicle plunged more than 1,000 ft into the river near Munsithang along the Lachen-Lachung highway.

As multiple landslides have struck the main road connecting Chungthang to Lachen and Lachung, at least 500 tourists are stranded in various parts of North Sikkim, an official said.

“No tourist permits have been issued today, and will also not be issued tomorrow for visiting north Sikkim,” he said.

The District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has issued a red alert, he added.

Due to heavy rains, the water level of the Teesta river has risen, and more showers are in the forecast, the official said.

Among those in the tourist vehicle that fell into the Teesta, some were from Odisha, officials in Bhubaneswar said.