The Indian Army’s Trishakti Corps rescued more than 900 tourists and locals stranded at Nathula, Baba Mandir and Tsomgo Lake in East Sikkim after heavy snowfall disrupted movement in the high-altitude region, officials said on Friday.
The rescue operation was carried out after heavy snowfall on Thursday left a large number of people unable to move through the snow-covered tourist areas. Army personnel evacuated those affected and ensured their safe movement from the region, officials said.
The operation covered three destinations frequently visited by tourists in East Sikkim: Nathula, Baba Mandir and Tsomgo Lake. The Army carried out the evacuation amid challenging weather conditions, as snowfall affected mobility in the high-altitude areas.
Nathula is a mountain pass on the India-China border. Baba Mandir is a shrine associated with Captain Harbhajan Singh, an Indian Army soldier who died while on duty in 1968. Tsomgo, also known as Chhangu Lake, is a high-altitude glacial lake.
The incident highlights the operational risks faced by visitors and local residents in Sikkim’s high-altitude tourist belt during severe winter weather. Access to these destinations depends on road connectivity through mountainous terrain, where snowfall can quickly interrupt movement and leave vehicles and passengers stranded.
For the people caught in the affected areas, the immediate challenge was safe evacuation from locations where heavy snow had disrupted travel. The Army’s role in the operation provided emergency assistance in a region where weather conditions can make routine movement difficult.
Officials said the rescued tourists and locals were safely evacuated from the snow-covered region. The supplied report did not provide details of injuries, vehicle numbers, the duration of the evacuation or any further weather-related restrictions on access to the three destinations.
