A heavy downpour throughout Tuesday triggered landslides in various places of north Sikkim and snapped connectivity with Lachen and Lachung, two popular tourist destinations of the mountain state.
Multiple landslides caused traffic to a halt on several roads connecting Mangan, the headquarters of the sole district in the northern part of the state which sits on the India-China border.
On Wednesday, traffic was restored in some of the routes, but with restrictions. The situation prompted the state administration to stop issuing permits to tourists intending to travel to north Sikkim.
“Three roads which connect Mangan with Chungthang, that is, the road via Sangkalang bridge, via Toong Naga and Phidang are closed because of landslides. That is why vehicles could not move to Chungthang, a junction from where different roads head for Lachen and Lachung,” said a source in the district administration.
Because of the landslides, over 100 vehicles carrying tourists got stranded were stranded along the Sangkalang Road on Tuesday. Later, the vehicles were diverted to Lingdong. Eventually, by Wednesday morning, all stranded vehicles could start moving.
“On Wednesday, no permits were issued for tourists who had planned a visit to Lachen and Lachung because of the landslides and rough weather. Those permits issued in advance were also cancelled,” said a tour operator based in Sikkim.
Between Mangan and Gangtok, the Rakdung-Tintek Road was clear, but the road via Phodong was open only for light vehicles.
Tourists staying in Lachen and Lachung, however, could visit the nearby locations as roads leading to places like the Gurudongmar Lake and Yumthang are open.
Due to consistent downpour over the past few weeks, landslides have repeatedly occurred in north Sikkim. Tourists got stranded on several occasions and were evacuated in due course.
On Wednesday, a weather expert at the Regional Met office in Gangtok forecasted more rainfall in most parts of Sikkim, particularly in the districts of Gangtok, Gyalshing, Mangan and Namchi during the next 24 hours.
“There is a forecast of heavy rain, coupled with thunderstorms and gusty winds in the sub-Himalayan Bengal till Sunday,” he added.
Tourism stakeholders said they had asked tourists to be updated on weather conditions.
“Before commencing their journey, they should be properly informed about the weather and road connectivity, especially in places like north Sikkim, to avoid any sudden inconvenience,” said Samrat Sanyal, the general secretary of Himalayan Hospitality and Tourism Development Network.