76 army personnel and 140 tourists airlifted from landslide-hit Chaten in North Sikkim

Seventy-six army personnel were successfully airlifted on Saturday from Chaten in north Sikkim after the region was hit by multiple landslides triggered by days of intense rainfall. With road connectivity completely cut off, MI-17 helicopters were deployed to transport the stranded soldiers to Pakyong Greenfield Airport, marking the end of the coordinated evacuation effort.

Officials confirmed that the operation, which also included the rescue of over 140 stranded tourists earlier, has now been completed. The state government is continuing to monitor the situation closely and has pledged full support for relief and recovery efforts in the disaster-hit areas.

The landslides had left more than 1,600 tourists marooned across the Lachen, Lachung, and Chungthang sectors. Joint efforts by the Indian Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Border Roads Organisation (BRO), and the Mangan district administration ensured that all those stranded were evacuated safely over the past few days.

This latest evacuation of army personnel underscores the gravity of the situation in north Sikkim, where continuous rainfall has not only endangered lives but also severely disrupted transport and communication networks.