Latest news with #LukendraRasaily
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Yahoo
Officials scramble to rescue more than 1,000 stranded tourists after rare event sparks emergency: 'Movement [is] nearly impossible'
More than 1,000 tourists and hundreds of vehicles were temporarily stranded after massive landslides hit India in late April, prompting authorities to halt travel to the area. Multiple landslides occurred in the Indian state of Sikkim. As Business Standard reported, continuous rain on April 24 preceded the slides, which occurred at multiple points on at least two roads. Debris from the landslides, along with heavy flooding, caused many cars to be trapped and made "movement nearly impossible," according to the outlet. Many of the tourists were stranded in the town of Chungthang and stayed one night in a gurudwara, a Sikh house of worship. The following morning, they were evacuated by authorities, who, per The Indian Express, were also able to get the vehicles across a reconstructed bridge that was reopened to traffic. Still, the threat of further slides and dangerous road conditions forced officials to stop issuing travel permits for a period and cancel permits that had been authorized in advance. This extreme weather event posed significant safety risks, damaged critical road infrastructure, and hampered the region's tourism-based economy. Lukendra Rasaily, former chair of the Sikkim Tourism Development Corporation, announced a couple of days later that "all the people were evacuated and no casualties have been reported. … the Border Road Organisation are working on clearing the roads. Lachung will open for tourists ..." Fortunately, there were no reported casualties in this case. But sadly, it isn't the only recent example of extreme weather leading to treacherous landslides. Last summer, more than 200 people died in Ethiopia as a result of heavy rain and subsequent mudslides. In Brazil, catastrophic flooding and landslides caused more than 140 deaths and displaced more than 165,000 people. And one of the largest single-day rain events in the history of Kerala, India, led to a landslide that killed more than 250 people. As heat-trapping gases continue to be released into our atmosphere, rising global temperatures up the likelihood of landslides, flooding, hurricanes, tornadoes, and more. Experts see a trend of increased frequency and intensity of such climate shocks. Scientists are still working to refine early warning systems local to the communities in India most vulnerable to landslides. Last summer, just 10 days before a disastrous event, the Geological Survey of India installed a system that leverages artificial intelligence to forecast slides and alert authorities as well as the public. According to The New Indian Express, "it failed to foresee the devastating landslide that struck Mundakkai, due to ongoing refinements and accuracy improvements." What would you do if natural disasters were threatening your home? Move somewhere else Reinforce my home Nothing This is happening already Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. When it comes to extreme weather, knowledge can truly be lifesaving. In 2024, a report from the United States Geological Survey said that 44% of the country is at risk of landslides. The agency's map shows the likelihood of such an event where you live. If you are in a high-risk area, you can never be too prepared. The Red Cross offers a landslide-preparation guide, which includes knowing your risk and developing an evacuation plan. Understanding the root causes of extreme weather is another way to be prepared. From there, we can take meaningful actions to reduce our environmental impacts. Switching to electric vehicles en masse, encouraging our communities to go solar, and sharing knowledge with friends and family can make a difference. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Indian Express
29-04-2025
- Indian Express
All tourists safely evacuated, Lachung to open for tourists from today: Officials
ALL THE tourists – a large number of whom were stranded after a landslide in northern Sikkim due to heavy rain in the region – have now been safely evacuated and there are no casualties, officials said on Tuesday. The tourists had been stranded for one night (Thursday) but rescue operations began at the earliest, the officials said. Former chairman Sikkim Tourism Development Corporation Lukendra Rasaily said, 'Two days ago, all the people were evacuated and no casualties have been reported. The Sikkim Police are taking care of everything and the Border Road Organisation (BRO) are working on clearing the roads. Lachung will open for tourists from Wednesday.' Samrat Sanyal, secretary, Himalayan Hospitality and tourism development network, told The Indian Express, 'There were around 1,400 tourists from across the country who were visiting Sikkim at that point in time all have been evacuated and have safely returned home .' After heavy rains on April 24, 2025, which triggered massive landslides in North Sikkim, the Chungthang-Lachung Road was blocked at six major points. Restoration efforts by the BRO and local authorities cleared the road for light vehicles on Saturday, enabling the safe evacuation of over 1,000 stranded tourists to Gangtok. From Chungthang, the vehicles reached Mangan, the district headquarters, via a reconstructed bailey bridge at Sangkalang which was opened for traffic movement. Landslides have occurred at Munshithang on the Lachen-Chungthang road and at Lema/Bob on the Lachung-Chungthang road. The situation was aggravated due to continuous rain in the region. The district administration had instructed all tour operators not to send tourists to North Sikkim on Friday and until further notice, but with the roads being cleared, the situation will soon be back to normal, officials said.
