At least four people have lost their lives and three others remain missing after a devastating landslide struck the Upper Rimbi region under Yangthang Constituency in West Sikkim late Thursday night, officials confirmed.
The landslide, triggered by continuous rainfall over the past few days, hit the remote mountainous area with little warning. According to Superintendent of Police (SP) Geyzing, Tshering Sherpa, three individuals died on the spot when the landslide swept through their homes.
“Three persons were killed on the spot when the landslide hit,” said SP Sherpa. “The police team, in coordination with local villagers and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) personnel, managed to evacuate two injured women from the affected area after constructing a temporary tree log bridge over the flooded Hume River.”
Due to the inaccessibility of the terrain, rescuers were forced to improvise. With no proper route available, they constructed a makeshift bridge using tree logs to cross the swollen Hume River and reach the affected site. The injured women were transported to the District Hospital for emergency treatment. Tragically, one of them succumbed to her injuries soon after, raising the death toll to four. The other remains in critical condition.
Rescue and search operations are still ongoing to locate the three missing persons. The efforts are being hampered by difficult weather conditions and the unstable terrain, but authorities remain hopeful.
“This is a tragic incident, and our teams are working tirelessly to rescue those still missing. We urge the public to stay away from vulnerable areas as more rainfall is expected,” Sherpa added.
The West Sikkim district administration has issued an alert for other landslide-prone areas and is coordinating with the state disaster response force to monitor the situation closely.
More updates are awaited as rescue teams continue their operation.
