Rescue efforts resume to evacuate stranded tourists from north Sikkim

Efforts to rescue stranded tourists from Chaten in north Sikkim resumed on Friday, with three helicopters taking off from the Pakyong Greenfield Airport, officials said.

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Altogether, 63 stranded people, mostly tourists, were on Thursday evacuated by helicopters from Chaten, which was hit by a landslide earlier this week, they said.

Sixty-four other tourists are still waiting at Chaten to be rescued by the army and local administration. The evacuation operation was called off due to inclement weather and challenging terrain on Thursday, the officials said.

The rescue operation will continue depending on weather conditions and operational feasibility, they said.

Three army personnel were killed, six soldiers went missing and several others were injured after a landslide hit a military camp at Chaten on the evening of June 1. Efforts are underway to locate the missing soldiers.