In a major rescue operation on Sunday, 28 civilians stranded in Chaten, North Sikkim, along with 20 army personnel, were safely airlifted after road connectivity in the region was severed due to multiple landslides caused by heavy rainfall, officials confirmed.
The evacuation was carried out using an MI-17 helicopter, which first transported 28 civilians — including minors, tourist taxi drivers, and government officials — from the affected area. In a subsequent sortie, 20 army personnel were brought back to Pakyong Greenfield Airport. The helicopter also carried essential supplies to the Indian Army personnel stationed at Chaten.
“The state government arranged for a helicopter and successfully evacuated 28 people, including three minors. Twenty army personnel also returned safely in the helicopter,” an official said, adding that all evacuees landed safely at Pakyong Greenfield Airport.
This rescue operation is part of ongoing coordinated relief efforts following the heavy rains that triggered landslides, disrupting road and telecommunication connectivity in North Sikkim. Around 2,000 tourists were previously stranded in Lachen, Lachung, and Chungthang towns due to the adverse weather but were evacuated earlier this week through combined air and road operations.
Tragically, the landslide that struck a military camp in Chaten on the evening of June 1 resulted in the deaths of three army personnel, injuries to four others, and six soldiers missing. Search and rescue operations are still underway to locate the missing personnel.
Sources By Agencies
