Monday 10 April 2023, Bengaluru, India
Sikkim: The calamity took place on the Jawaharlal Nehru Road that connects Sikkim’s capital Gangtok to Nathu La. Reports coming in confirm at least 150 tourists were present at the location when the event occurred. The Avalanche took place around noon, with seven tourists losing their lives in the unforeseen event. A rescue team provided by the Army is on the location to search for the tourists trapped under the snow alongside State Disaster Management and the local Police. The seven people who lost their lives included a woman and a child. The rescue team is still searching for the rest of the tourists trapped under the snow.
The massive Avalanche that occurred near Sikkim’s Nathu La mountain pass caused chaos in the area. Taking the lives of seven innocent people, the Avalanche has trapped many lives under it. Higher authorities have confirmed that by 4 pm, around 26 tourists were saved from the clutches of the Avalanche and were relocated to a medical care facility of the Indian Army. 6 people are reportedly rescued from the deep valley in the mountain.
“Deeply pained by the tragic incident in Sikkim. Owing to the avalanche, the nation has lost several precious lives. I offer my sincerest condolences to the bereaved families and pray for the speedy recovery of those who were injured. Praying for the safety and security of all”- Mamata Banerjee
“23 tourists were rescued by 4 PM, including 6 from the deep valley, and shifted to nearby medical facilities of the Indian Army. Unfortunately, seven persons have succumbed,” the Army confirmed. The rescue team is doing everything it can to rescue all the people that may be trapped under the snow.
Nathu La is a famous tourist spot and is situated at the height of 4,310 meters (14,140 feet) above sea level. The pass falls between China’s Yadong County in Tibet and the Indian states of Sikkim and West Bengal in Bengal, South Asia. The iconic scenes that tourists wish to see here are no less than heaven itself. Tourists visit this place daily and witness the beauty of nature.
Though Nathu La serves as a delightful tourist destination, it is often a place where such horrific events occur. One such instance is when more than 3000 tourists were stuck in this region due to heavy snowfall. The Army had to intervene and provide shelter, food, and warm clothing to the people stuck there.
My sincerest condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives in the tragic avalanche in Sikkim. We are closely monitoring the situation and the teams of NDRF will reach the affected area soon. I pray for the speedy recovery of those injured– Amit shah
Similar instances have occurred previously, and there is nothing the management can do about it. People have to travel with utmost care and make the most out of the journey. This time when the Avalanche occurred, 5-6 tourist vehicles were en route to the mountain pass carrying 25-30 tourists in each of the vehicles.
Videos have surfaced showing how horrific the incident was and how difficult the rescue mission is, as people can see in the video people using shovels to shove out the snow to find another human. Reports suggest that more than 350 stranded tourists have been rescued and moved to safety.
