Gangtok, June 4
Amid relentless rainfall and landslides wreaking havoc across Sikkim, the Indian armed forces have intensified their Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations to aid the affected population in the northeastern state.
On Wednesday, the Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully rescued 33 people, including two US nationals, from the remote Chaten region of North Sikkim.
In addition to the evacuation efforts, the IAF also air-dropped vital relief supplies and inserted National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams to assist those affected in the region.
"In response to the devastating landslides in Sikkim, Indian Air Force Mi-17 helicopters rapidly launched HADR Ops -- air-dropping relief supplies, inserting NDRF teams, and evacuating 33 stranded individuals, including two US nationals, from the remote Chaten region. IAF remains committed to saving lives," the IAF stated in a post on X.
Earlier in the day, adverse weather conditions hampered an evacuation mission involving 113 stranded tourists in Lachen.
An Mi-17 helicopter, carrying nine NDRF personnel, took off from Pakyong Airport around 6 a.m. but was forced to abort the mission and return mid-air due to poor visibility in the Mangan and Chaten areas.
The stranded tourists in Lachen had been cut off for over a day after multiple landslides blocked critical roadways, disrupting access to the region.