At least six individuals lost their lives this week, and approximately 2,000 tourists found themselves stranded in India's Sikkim, a Himalayan state, due to landslides and floods caused by relentless rainfall, according to officials on Friday. In Nepal's Taplejung district, which shares a border with Sikkim, four more lives were claimed when a landslide, precipitated by heavy rains, demolished a house where they were asleep, local officials reported. The Mangan district, encompassing northern Sikkim and situated about 100 km (60 miles) north of the state capital Gangtok, experienced multiple landslides triggered by the heavy downpour, as stated by the local government of the northeastern Indian state. 'The rain has been unceasing for 36 hours, leading to extensive damage to the road connecting to northern Sikkim, severing all links to the district,' explained Hem Kumar Chettri, the district magistrate of Mangan. 'All tourists are accounted for and safe, yet we are unable to evacuate them due to the extensive road damage,' he added, noting that 11 of the tourists are from foreign countries. Sikkim, a small Buddhist state with a population of 650,000, nestled between Bhutan, China, and Nepal, is a favored tourist spot but is also prone to natural calamities stemming from extreme weather in the Himalayas. Last year, at least 179 people perished in Sikkim when a glacial lake outburst in the Himalayas led to catastrophic floods. Efforts to repair the road are underway with the deployment of personnel and machinery, though Chettri emphasized the extensive nature of the damage, indicating a prolonged repair process. Approximately 50 homes have been partially or completely destroyed by the rains, with residents being relocated to a relief camp. Meanwhile, while eastern Nepal grapples with heavy rainfall, the western regions of the country are experiencing one of the hottest seasons, according to weather officials.
Text: Lara Palmer
14.06.2024
Landslides and Floods in Himalayan Regions Disrupt Travel and Claim Lives