Only the Lachen and Lachung sectors in the northern portion of the Himalayan state are currently closed to travelers, according to Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, who stated on Thursday that all other tourist destinations are again open.

“Sikkim still welcomes visitors. He urged visitors to discover the state’s many naturally delightful locations, saying that all six districts—not just Mangan—have stunning travel sites.
He also addressed recent false information about the region’s damaged infrastructure. Five bridges were reportedly wiped away during the Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) in 2023.
The CM stressed, however, that the exceptionally high rainfall during this year’s monsoon caused damage to these bridges.

In order to avoid any interruptions, Chief Minister Tamang stated that the state is dedicated to long-term development and is concentrating on repairing and fortifying all of Sikkim’s weak bridges with assistance from the central government.

Officials emphasized that the rest of the state is still secure, reachable, and friendly to visitors despite the brief hiccup in North Sikkim. The Phidang bridge, which is regarded as the region’s lifeline, was seriously damaged, leaving around 1,500 tourists stuck in the well-known North Sikkim attractions of Lachen and Lachung.

A landslide in the Chhaten Army camp near Lachen further compounded matters by preventing vehicle evacuation.

Rescue efforts in Lachen had to be conducted by air, but all tourists in Lachung had been successfully evacuated earlier.

Half of the stranded tourists were rescued on Tuesday, and the remaining visitors will be taken out today as part of the ongoing phased evacuation.

The army helipad in Chhaten, where both tourists and military people are being rescued, was the site of the initial air sorties. They are being driven to Pakyong’s Greenfield Airport.