Gangtok: More than 2,700 tourists who were left stranded following heavy snowfall near Tsomgo Lake have been safely rescued, officials confirmed on Wednesday.
Intense snowfall in the higher-altitude areas of Sherathang and nearby stretches caused severe road blockages, trapping 541 tourist vehicles along the route between 15th Mile and Tsomgo Lake in East Sikkim, officials said.
Authorities launched a coordinated rescue operation, systematically clearing the affected stretch and evacuating all 2,736 stranded visitors. The operation was completed successfully late on Tuesday night, ensuring that every vehicle and passenger was moved to safety.
Following the incident, the state Tourism Department urged tourists and tour operators to adhere strictly to weather advisories.
It also stressed the importance of ensuring that vehicles travelling in snow-bound areas are properly equipped, including the mandatory use of snow chains during snowfall.
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Indian Army troops recently rescued 46 stranded tourists following heavy snowfall and extreme weather conditions in high-altitude areas of Sikkim’s East district under ‘Operation Himrahat’.
Several tourist vehicles were stuck along vulnerable road stretches in the district during the intense snowfall in sub-zero temperatures.
