1,500 tourists stranded as heavy rains continue to lash Sikkim, 2 bridges damaged

Around 112 tourists remained stranded in Lachen and 1,350 in Lachung due to disruption in road connectivity, they said.

Heavy machinery from the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has been deployed to clear the road from Lachung to Chungthang and further from Chungthang to Theeng tunnel.

A major landslide at Theeng had initially blocked the road, but it is now reported to be cleared up to Shipgyer near the GREF camp.

However, a large boulder just a few hundred metres ahead of the camp remains to be removed, the officials said.

BRO teams are expected to clear the obstruction at the earliest.

Mangan district collector Anant Jain, along with other officials, inspected the route from Chungthang to Shipgyer, and onward to Sankalang and Phidang, to determine whether the route is safe for the evacuation of tourists currently stranded in Lachung.

The evacuation of tourists stranded in Lachen is being planned via an alternative route through Zemma-Donkela-Chungthang-Shipgyer-Sankalang-Phidang, the officials said.

Meanwhile, the Zemma approach road has reportedly been washed out due to rising water levels and strong currents of the river, one of the officials said.

"Restoration work is expected to begin soon, and the evacuation through this route will commence only once the approach road is rebuilt," he added.

The Phidang Bridge, located in the Dzongu region, got damaged due to a strong current in the Teesta river in the wake of the heavy rain, another official said.

"The river current has eroded its base, which may affect the structural stability of the bridge. The situation is being closely monitored as the bridge is crucial for movement and connectivity in the area," he said.

The road connectivity of 13 Gram Panchayat Units (GPUs) with other parts of Sikkim remains snapped for the time being, he said.

The Sangkalang Bailey Bridge, connecting Mangan to Chungthang, has also been partially damaged due to the current of the Teesta River, the officials said.

The bridge is in a critical condition and may no longer be safe for public use, an official said, adding that the monsoon rainfall has intensified, leading to a swollen Teesta river on which the structure is built.

The National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL) has issued an order, announcing intermittent restrictions on traffic movement on the NH-10 (Sevoke to Rangpo section) on June 2 and 3, in response to anticipated congestion and ongoing emergency works following the flash flood in the Teesta river on May 31.