Search stopped for trapped tourists in snowslide in Sikkim

The entire area was scanned and no person was found underneath the snow

SUJAL PRADHAN, EOI, GANGTOK, 5 MARCH 2023 : After a thorough search of the snow-covered stretch of Jawaharlal Nehru Road leading to Tsomgo Lake and Nathu La with a specialized radar reflector system that went deep into the snow and reflected anything under the snow even below 20 metres, the authorities on Wednesday evening stopped the search and rescue operation for missing tourists. 

Authorities in Gangtok said the entire area was scanned and no person was found underneath the snow. A helpline number would, however, be kept active and if there was any inquiry about missing tourists, the authorities would immediately send a rescue team. DC Gangtok Tushar G.Nikhare said in a statement in the evening that all the inquiries about tourists in the helpline had since been traced. 

He told reporters that the search operation was resumed at 8 a.m. on Wednesday as directed by the Chief Minister to ensure that there were no tourists still buried under the snow. Instead of calling the incident an avalanche, the authorities preferred to use the term ‘snow slide.’ Military experts had confirmed that a snow slide was less severe than an avalanche. He said bodies of five of the snow slide victims had been handed over to the families. 

The bodies of the other two victims would be handed over to the families on Thursday morning. All the expenses of the treatment of the injured people and transportation expenses would be borne by the Sikkim Government, as promised by the Chief Minister.

In reply to a question if proper guidance could have prevented the tragedy and if in future any restrictions would be enforced for tourists, Nikhare said: “It was completely a natural disaster. One may ask if a disaster can be prevented or not, but this was a lesson. This was the first snowslide in Sikkim, trapping tourists. 

We have decided the critical points would be identified and proper warnings will be displayed. Jeeps and taxis will not be allowed to be parked at these critical points and no selfies will be allowed.”

Asked if the authorities are planning to restrict the number of vehicles plying in these areas, Nikhare said they had not though about any such step now. “It is a State-level decision. We will give our inputs. 

The permits will be issued keeping in mind the carrying capacity of the road, the parking spaces. A decision will be taken how many permits will be issued, whether we want to restrict the vehicles. Sikkim is a tourist destination and a safe place and we don’t want to restrict the number of tourists. There is no agenda on the table to restrict the number of tourists to that area