Guwahati: Seven tourists were killed in a massive avalanche that hit the 15th Mile area in the Nathu La region of Sikkim on Tuesday. The victims comprise five males, one female, and one child, the officials said.
The avalanche hit the arterial Jawaharlal Nehru Marg, which connects state capital Gangtok to Nathu La at the China border, around noon, trapping five-six vehicles with around 30 people under the snow, the Army said in a statement. Seven bodies were brought out of the snow and 23 people were rescued alive, including six tourists from a deep valley, a state government official said, quoting reports from the Army.
Those injured were admitted to different hospitals in Gangtok, around 55 km away, he said. Among those dead are a woman and a child, he added. The search operation was called off in the evening due to inclement weather, another official said. Condoling the deaths, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he hopes the injured recover soon.
"Distressed by the avalanche in Sikkim. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. I hope the injured recover soon. Rescue ops are underway and all possible assistance is being provided to those affected," Modi said in a tweet by his office. Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the Centre was closely monitoring the situation.
"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," he tweeted.
Soon after the incident, the Sikkim Police immediately initiated efforts to get rescue ops at the site of the accident. Several teams including the Sikkim Police, Travel Agents Association of Sikkim, Tourism department officials, and vehicle drivers were engaged in the rescue operations. Meanwhile, the local communities in the area also assisted in rescuing the trapped tourists.
"Swift rescue operations were launched by Border Roads Organisation and 22 people were rescued till now including 6 from a deep valley," an official at the site said. Some 350 people and 80 vehicles, which were stranded on the road because of the snow blocking the road from Nathu La, were also brought back, he added.
Several people who escaped the avalanche took to social media to post videos of the calamity. One such video shared on Twitter showed the rescue operation in progress with several people feared buried under the huge mounds of snow. In one of the visuals, a man was seen half buried in the snow with people around him trying to remove the snow with shovels and pull him out.
As per information shared by Inspector General for Checkpost, Sonam Tenzing Bhutia, "Passes are issued for only 13th mile, but tourists are going to 15th Mile without permission." Nathu La Pass is situated on the border with China and is a major tourist destination because of its scenic beauty.
