Army rescues 500 tourists stranded in Nathu La amid heavy snowfall

 Troops of Trishakti Corps rush to the mountainous areas to rescue and provide succour to the stranded tourists, says defence spokesman

IANS, Gangtok, Feb 21, 2024 : The Army on Wednesday rescued more than 500 tourists stranded due to sudden heavy snowfall and inclement weather in high-altitude areas in east Sikkim, officials said.

Defence spokesman Lt Col Mahendra Rawat said that in view of the sudden heavy snowfall, approximately 175 vehicles with over 500 tourists got stranded at Nathu La in east Sikkim and troops of Trishakti Corps, braving the sub-zero temperature rushed to the mountainous areas to rescue and provide succour to the stranded tourists.

Troops of Trishakti Corps, braving the sub-zero temperature, rushed to the mountainous areas to rescue and provide succour to the stranded tourists.

Prompt medicare, hot refreshments and meals and safe transportation were rendered to the tourists timely to assist the tourists reach safety, he said.

The Trishakti Corps, while guarding the borders in Sikkim, is always prepared to assist the civil administration and people, Lt Col Rawat added.

ABP: The Indian Army on Wednesday carried out a rescue operation, saving over 500 tourists who were stranded at Nathula along the India-China border in Sikkim due to heavy snowfall, an official release said. "The troops of the Trishakti Corps of the Indian Army rescued more than 500 stranded tourists after sudden snowfall in East Sikkim", the army said in the statement.

The Troops from the Trishakti Corps of the Indian Army swiftly responded to the emergency situation, providing assistance to the stranded tourists. The army statement highlighted the prompt action taken by the Trishakti Corps personnel, who not only rescued the tourists but also ensured their well-being by offering hot meals, immediate medical attention, and arranging safe transportation. The release highlighted the commitment of the Trishakti Corps in Sikkim to assist both the civil administration and the people, reaffirming the Indian Army's dedication to serving the nation and its citizens, reported PTI.

Amid fresh snowfall and rainfall in the tribal and hilly regions in Himachal Pradesh, weather office issued avalanche warnings for several areas in the state. The Defence Geoinformatics Research Establishment (DGRE) in Chandigarh issued alerts for high-altitude regions in Lahaul and Spiti, Kinnaur, Shimla, Chamba, and Kullu districts, effective until Thursday, PTI reported.

In the wake of heavy snowfall in the upper regions of Himachal Pradesh, the Kullu administration issued a travel advisory for tourists. DC Kullu, Torul S Ravish, highlighted the challenging conditions in Manali over the past four days, with rain and snowfall affecting travel. Ravish noted that vehicular movement has been restricted beyond Nehru Kund.

Additionally, access is closed beyond Solang Nala, and disruptions were reported in Bharai. Rohtang Road and NH 305 near Jalori have also been shut to traffic. Ravish urged the tourists to avoid travel to higher areas and urged them to stay put in their current locations for safety.

The inclement weather conditions have already claimed the lives of 61 individuals since January 1, with incidents ranging from landslides to drowning and fires. Additionally, two people are reported missing. The state emergency response center reported the closure of 405 roads, including four national highways, due to snow, and disruption to 577 electricity transformers, reported PTI.

Notably, Lahaul and Spiti reported the closure of the highest number of roads, totaling 288, followed by Chamba and Kullu with 83 and 21 roads respectively made impassable. Notably, Koksar and the Atal Tunnel experienced heavy snowfall, measuring 45 cm, while Sissu and Kothi received 30 cm each. Keylong, Kusumseri, and Bharmour received 18 cm, 15.3 cm, and 8 cm of snowfall respectively. Manali recorded the highest precipitation with 29 mm of rain, followed by Salooni, Tissa, and Chamba, which received 25.3 mm, 20 mm, and 16 mm respectively. Seobagh and Baijnath received 11 mm and 8.0 mm of rainfall respectively.

Minimum temperatures in the region saw a noticeable drop, with several areas experiencing sub-zero temperatures. Kusumseri recorded the lowest temperature in the state at minus 7.1 degrees Celsius, followed by Sumdo at minus 2 degrees, Bharmour and Kalpa at minus 1.2 degrees, Narkanda at minus 0.5 degrees, Manali at minus 0.1 degrees, and Shimla at 2.9 degrees.

Recent rainfall has helped reduce the seasonal winter rain deficit from 58 percent to 34 percent, with the state receiving 104.2 mm of rain compared to the normal of 158 mm from January 1 to February 21, as per PTI.

The local Meteorological station has predicted dry weather in lower and mid hills for the next four days, with the possibility of rain or snow in higher hills on Thursday and Saturday, followed by another wet spell on February 26 and 27.