Sikkim flood: Govt issues travel advisory; urges tourist to postpone travel plans

The Sikkim government has made an announcement urging people who had plans to visit the Himalayan state in the near future to delay their travel arrangements as of now. Reports suggest that travellers should put their plans on hold until the situation returns to normal.

This request comes following a flash flood incident that resulted in the tragic loss of lives and destruction.
Meanwhile, the state government has asked those who are stranded in the flood-affected Mangan district not to panic. Authorities responsible for managing the situation will commence an evacuation operation soon. If reports are to go by, it’s estimated that more than 3,000 tourists, including foreigners, are currently stuck in various parts of the state.
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In addition, the Tourism and Civil Aviation Department has issued an advisory advising all prospective visitors to Sikkim to postpone their travel plans until conditions stabilise. The department has also stated that the state government will provide all necessary assistance during the evacuation process, scheduled to begin on October 6, subject to weather conditions.

This advisory was issued shortly after Chief Minister Tamang instructed officials to stop issuing permits to tourists for popular destinations such as Tsomgo Lake, Baba Mandir, and Nathula, starting from Friday.

The Tourism and Civil Aviation Department has confirmed that tourists stranded in the Lachung and Lachen areas are safe, with no adverse reports concerning them so far.
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Reports have it that the state government has also asked travel agents, hoteliers, tourist taxi drivers, and other stakeholders in the tourism sector to come forward and offer support to stranded travellers, considering the flood situation in the Teesta river basin. They have requested that all involved parties maintain fair and reasonable pricing for services like taxis and accommodations during this challenging time.
Earlier today, the Indian Army provided satellite phones to stranded tourists, allowing them to communicate with their loved ones from remote locations in north Sikkim, which has been affected by the flash flood in the Teesta river.
Both the Indian Army and NDRF teams are continuing their search efforts for the second day, trying to locate individuals who were swept away by the flash flood. The flash flood was triggered by a cloudburst over Lhonak Lake in north Sikkim in the early hours of Wednesday, causing the Teesta river basin to flood.