Sikkim: Landslide Devastates Army Camp, 3 Dead, 6 Missing, Rescue Efforts Intensify
The Indian Army and Air Force have intensified efforts to evacuate stranded civilians and locate missing personnel, despite adverse weather and treacherous terrain.
GANGTOK- Rescue and relief operations are ongoing in Chaten, North Sikkim, following a devastating landslide that struck the region on June 1, leaving several people dead, injured, and missing. The Indian Army and Air Force have intensified efforts to evacuate stranded civilians and locate missing personnel, despite adverse weather and treacherous terrain.
The landslide hit the military camp around 7:00 PM on Sunday, following days of heavy rainfall that loosened the mountainside, sending a torrent of debris crashing down.
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The deceased have been identified as Havaldar Lakhwinder Singh, Lance Naik Munish Thakur, and porter Abhishek Lakhada, whose bodies were recovered from the debris on Monday. Four other soldiers were rescued with minor injuries, according to a statement from Eastern Command spokesperson Wing Commander Himanshu Tiwari.
On Wednesday, the Indian Air Force successfully airlifted 33 people, including two U.S. nationals, from the landslide-hit Chaten area. IAF Mi-17 helicopters not only rescued civilians but also delivered emergency relief supplies and deployed National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams to aid in ongoing operations.
Meanwhile, the Indian Army has reached the isolated village of Lachen on foot, where 113 tourists had been stranded. Though poor weather forced an earlier evacuation attempt to be aborted, efforts are underway to airlift them once conditions improve.
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While six people remain missing, including Lt. Colonel Pritpal Singh Sandhu, his wife Squadron Leader Aarti Sandhu (Retd.), their young daughter Amayra, and three soldiers—Subedar Dharamveer, Naik Sunilal Muchahary, and Sepoy Sainudheen PK. Four others sustained minor injuries during the initial incident.
The Indian Army has expressed its deepest condolences to the families of the deceased, stating, “Every effort is being made to provide necessary support to the bereaved families in this hour of grief.”
Rescue teams, comprising Indian Army personnel, local volunteers, and the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), are working tirelessly around the clock to locate the missing individuals. The operation is being hampered by unstable terrain, continuous rain, and poor visibility, but efforts remain unrelenting.
