Gangtok— Seventeen stranded tourists were successfully airlifted from the landslide-hit Chaten area in North Sikkim on Friday morning, as rescue operations resumed after a weather-related halt.
The evacuees were flown to Pakyong’s Greenfield Airport by helicopter and then transported to Gangtok in government-arranged buses, officials said. Medical teams from the Health and Family Welfare Department were present at the airport to provide immediate health checkups.
The rescue follows Thursday’s operation that airlifted 63 people before worsening weather forced authorities to pause evacuations. With today’s mission, the total number of rescued tourists has reached 80.
Despite these efforts, 47 individuals remain stranded in the remote region. Officials have confirmed that further airlift operations will continue depending on terrain and weather conditions in the coming days.
The landslide, which struck on June 1 and hit an army camp in Chaten, claimed the lives of three army personnel, left six missing, and injured several others. Search and rescue operations for the missing soldiers are still underway.
Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely while coordinating with the Indian Army and disaster response teams to ensure the safe evacuation of those still trapped.
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