Landslide in Sikkim Army Camp Claims Lives of 3 Soldiers, 6 Missing Amid Heavy Rains and Flash Floods

Kalim News, June 3, 2025,  Mangan, Sikkim : A catastrophic landslide struck an Indian Army camp in Chaten, near Lachen in North Sikkim, on the evening of June 1, killing three soldiers and leaving six others, including a senior officer, missing. The devastating landslide occurred after days of torrential rainfall, burying parts of the camp and triggering a massive search and rescue operation by the Indian Army, local authorities, and rescue teams.

The three soldiers who lost their lives in the tragedy have been identified as Havaldar Lakhwinder Singh, Lance Naik Munish Thakur, and Porter Abhishek Lakhada. Their bodies were recovered by the rescue teams shortly after the disaster struck around 7 p.m. on Sunday. Despite the difficult terrain and adverse weather conditions, the operation is ongoing to locate the six missing personnel, which include Lt Col Pritpal Sandhu, his wife Sqn Ldr Arati B Sandhu (Retd), their daughter Amaira Sandhu, and three other soldiers—Subdar Dharamveer, Sepoy Sainudheen P.K., and Sepoy Sunilal Muchahary.

The Indian Army extended its condolences to the families of the deceased soldiers, offering full support during this difficult time. The Army’s Chief Public Relations Officer, Himanshu Tiwari, confirmed that “rescue operations are ongoing, and teams are working tirelessly despite the challenging weather and terrain conditions.”

The government of Sikkim, led by Chief Secretary R Telang, is closely monitoring the situation. A team from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has been deployed from Siliguri to assist in the rescue efforts. Lt Gen Zubin Minawala, General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Trishakti Corps, also visited the site to oversee the operations.

The Army, along with local police, ITBP (Indo-Tibetan Border Police), and Sikkim local residents, is working tirelessly to locate the missing soldiers. The terrain remains extremely difficult to navigate, and rescue operations have been hampered by continuous rain and hazardous conditions.

The landslides and flooding have caused significant disruption to travel and daily life in North Sikkim. Nearly 1,600 tourists were stranded in the Lachung and Lachen areas after landslides blocked key roads. A large-scale evacuation operation was launched on Monday morning to bring the stranded tourists to safety. Over 1,600 tourists—including 737 men, 561 women, and 380 children—were evacuated from Lachung in a convoy of 284 vehicles and 16 bikes, which safely reached Phidang later in the day.

District Magistrate Anant Jain personally oversaw the operation and coordinated efforts with local police, the army, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), and other rescue agencies to ensure the tourists’ safe evacuation. Authorities expressed confidence that the remaining tourists in Lachen would also be evacuated once roads are cleared.

The flash floods on May 29, triggered by heavy rainfall, also led to a tragic incident when a tourist vehicle plunged into the Teesta river near Munsithang, resulting in one death and two injuries. The vehicle, carrying 10 tourists, was swept away, and eight people—including a newlywed couple from Uttar Pradesh—remain missing.

Efforts to locate the missing tourists were further hampered by the rising water levels in the Teesta River. Local police, the ITBP, and army personnel have been involved in the search for the missing, but the surge in the water levels has caused delays in recovery operations.

The ongoing heavy rains in North Sikkim have triggered multiple landslides, severely affecting road and bridge connectivity across the state. The Teesta river rose by 35-40 feet, exacerbating the flooding and obstructing roads between key destinations like Lachen, Lachung, Gurudongmar, Valley of Flowers, and Zero Point.

In response to the crisis, the Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA) has declared the situation a “disaster” under the Disaster Management Act of 2005. The state has prioritized the restoration of power supply and communication infrastructure, as well as the reopening of key roads for the movement of tourists and relief materials.

The situation in North Sikkim remains critical, with authorities continuing to battle the challenges posed by the devastating landslides and flash floods. The loss of three brave soldiers has cast a shadow over the region, and the missing personnel and tourists continue to be at the forefront of rescue efforts. As the weather conditions remain unpredictable, it is expected that search operations will continue until all missing persons are accounted for.

The joint efforts of local and military authorities, along with the resilience of the people of Sikkim, highlight the determination to overcome the challenges posed by this natural disaster.