Mangan, 17th June 2023: Reports confirm that more than 2,000 local and foreign tourists have been trapped in North Sikkim due to a road blockage caused by heavy rain. State officials say road-clearing operations will begin only once the rain stops.
The road from North Sikkim’s district headquarters Mangan to Chuntang has been blocked near Pegond Supply Khola, causing traffic inconvenience.
Due to flash floods, 1,975 locals and 36 international visitors are stranded in hotels in the Lachen and Lachung districts. Twenty-three of the 36 foreign tourists are from Bangladesh, ten from the United States, and three from Singapore. Along with the visitors, 345 four-wheelers and 11 two-wheelers are stranded in various North Sikkim locations.
Heavy rains battered North Sikkim, causing local rivers to overflow and flash floods to submerge National Highway 10 at Pegong. Local officials in North Sikkim are assessing the situation, while the Border Roads Organisation is attempting to clear the debris and restore normalcy. However, sources indicate that the roadway may not be reopened for some time.
On Friday, officials acknowledged that flash floods in Sikkim had caused significant damage to the highways, rendering them dangerous for vehicular movement. They have also closed off areas in north Sikkim such as Lachen and Lachung, from the rest of the state.
Due to the flash floods, the state administration has also cancelled visitor licences for Tsomgo Lake, Baba Mandir Nathula, and North Sikkim until further notice.
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