More than 1,000 tourists have been stranded in North Sikkim after continuous heavy rainfall triggered massive landslides, flooding key roads and cutting off access to popular travel destinations, officials said on Friday.
Around 200 tourist vehicles are currently stuck at Chungthang Gurudwara and the nearby ITBP camp, while approximately 1,000 tourists remain stranded in Lachung, according to police sources.
Mangan District Superintendent of Police Sonam Dechu Bhutia confirmed that major landslides occurred at Munshithang on the Lachen&ndash;Chungthang road and at Lema and Bob on the Lachung&ndash;Chungthang route. Though roads till Chungthang remain technically open, continuous downpour has made nighttime travel extremely dangerous and largely inaccessible.
Visuals from the region showed widespread flooding and debris-strewn roads, with several vehicles trapped in waterlogged stretches.
In response to the worsening weather, the Sikkim Police Permit Cell has suspended all travel and transport permits to North Sikkim for the day. All previously issued permits have also been cancelled as a precautionary measure. Tour operators have been strictly instructed to halt any new trips to the region.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Sikkim, forecasting heavy to very heavy rainfall over the next 48 hours, raising further concerns over landslides and flash floods.
Authorities are currently assessing the extent of the damage and coordinating efforts to restore road connectivity and ensure the safety of those stranded. Emergency services and disaster response teams have been mobilized.
In a related safety measure, NHPC officials confirmed that dams at the state-run power plants have been opened to maintain safe reservoir levels.
The region had previously faced similar devastation in September last year, when glacial lake outburst floods and torrential rain caused multiple landslides and damaged key infrastructure, including the collapse of the Rang-Rang bridge&mdash;severely impacting North Sikkim&rsquo;s connectivity.
With the current deluge bringing back those fears, officials are urging extreme caution and cooperation from tourists and locals alike.
&nbsp;(with inputs from IANS)&nbsp; <a href="https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vb34ERXCnA7lrMp57S3N" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Follow the Benefit News channel on WhatsApp</a>&nbsp;

A car amid rushing waters in North Sikkim

Torrential rainfall triggers massive landslides, flooding roads and prompting travel permit cancellations amid red alert

1K Tourists Stranded in North Sikkim Amid Landslides

Torrential rainfall triggers massive landslides, flooding roads and prompting travel permit cancellations amid red alert

April 25, 2025 | 15:19 IST