Indian Army rescues 150 stranded tourists in North Sikkim

The Indian Army rescued as many as 150 stranded tourists in North Sikkim on Wednesday evening amidst heavy snowfall and sub-zero temperatures. 

“We rescued stranded tourists amidst heavy snowfall in North Sikkim. Unprecedented snowfall in a span of two hours had cut off the popular tourist destinations in Lachung Valley, rendering the tourists helpless. The troops of Trishakti Corps immediately launched Quick Reaction Teams (QRT) including medical staff to locate the tourists in stranded vehicles, provide medical care and bring them to the nearest army camps,” said a senior official of the Army Eastern Command. 

Army jawans launched rescue operations and reached out to all stranded persons. Among the stranded tourists, there were some elderly people and children who complained of dizziness, breathlessness and other high altitude related symptoms. A woman with the fractured hand was given immediate medical care. 

“All rescued tourists are being provided, food, shelter and medical care at the army camps keeping in view the unabated snowfall and temperatures dipping down to minus 10 degrees,” added the officer. 

Sources in the Army say that rescue and search operations will continue through the night to locate any other tourist who may have been stranded in the area.

This is the second such rescue operation carried out in this winter. On December 28, 2018, Indian Army soldiers evacuated over 3000 stranded tourists from Nathula area in the biggest ever rescue operation carried out in Sikkim.