Sikkim: NDRF evacuates 34 from landslide-hit Chhaten by air

Guwahati: The rescue team and the National Disaster Response Force, NDRF, on Tuesday evacuated thirty-four people from landslide-hit Chhaten in North Sikkim, an official confirmed.

The official stated that the NDRF rescuer team safely brought the evacuees to Pakyong Airport by two Indian Air Force MI-17 V5 helicopters.

The rescue team treated injured army personnel and evacuated them, along with their family members and stranded tourists, the official noted.

"A specialized team of 23 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel has joined the ongoing efforts to locate six soldiers reported missing after a devastating landslide struck an Army camp in North Sikkim on Sunday, " the official asserted.

The NDRF team, equipped with satellite phones and crucial emergency gear, will play a vital role in evacuation, rescue, and establishing temporary communication lines in the affected area.

Notably, the landslide, triggered by incessant heavy rainfall, hit the Army camp at Chaten in Sikkim's Lachen area around 7 PM on Sunday.

The incident tragically claimed the lives of three personnel, while the authorities rescued four others with minor injuries. Six soldiers remain unaccounted for, prompting intensified search operations.

The official added that the authorities are actively exploring alternate foot-access routes and assessing the feasibility of helipad operations, subject to prevailing weather conditions, to enhance rescue and relief efforts.