Daijiworld Media Network - Gangtok

Gangtok, Mar 25: Around 200 tourists were stranded at Chungthang in North Sikkim after multiple landslides triggered by heavy rainfall disrupted road connectivity, officials said on Wednesday.

Mangan District Collector Anant Jain said the landslides occurred along the crucial Chungthang–Lachen route on Tuesday night, leaving tourists travelling towards Lachen stuck midway.

Stranded visitors were accommodated overnight at an ITBP camp and a gurudwara in Chungthang, ensuring their safety.

Officials said restoration work is currently underway by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), and authorities will assess the situation before allowing movement, depending on weather conditions and road safety.

Some tourists have already returned to Gangtok and cancelled their travel plans, while those on the Lachung route were safely brought back after the road was cleared on Wednesday morning.

Authorities are closely monitoring the situation as intermittent rainfall continues in the region. The Lachen route had only recently reopened on March 9 after being damaged in the 2023 glacial lake outburst flood.

Meanwhile, key tourist destinations such as Tsomgo Lake and Nathula Pass remain closed due to heavy snowfall over the past few days.