MASSIVE AVALANCHE IN SIKKIM KILLS 6 TOURISTS! 80 STILL BURIED UNDER SNOW!
A massive avalanche hit the Jawaharlal Nehru Road that connects Gangtok with Nathula Pass, with 6 dead and several injured; operations to rescue the vehicles and people stuck are still in progress.
An avalanche is a natural disaster that occurs mostly in hill stations or mountain areas; when an amount of snow or ice comes down sliding from the mountainside, it is called an avalanche.
This disastrous event happened in Sikkim when the snow came rushing down onto the 14th mile Jawaharlal Nehru Road connecting Gangtok and Nathula Pass.
Being a hill station Sikkim is constantly visited by hundreds, which is unfortunate at this moment as the tourists are all stuck under the snow. The road is often in a rush with vehicles and the same on Tuesday afternoon, but at around 12:15 in the afternoon something tragic happened.
As many as 150 tourists were trapped in the snow, and rescue operations to relieve the trapped are still going on. The BRO rescued around 30 tourists who were trapped in the snow that the avalanche brought.
All the rescued and injured individuals are beings transferred to nearby STNM hospital and Central Referral Hospital in Gangtok.
6 people lost their lives out of which 4 were male, one female, and a child. The victims were said to be severely injured by the disaster leading to death. The road blockage by snow caused 350 people and 80 vehicles stuck to one side unable to cross; they are also brought back by the rescue team.
Videos of people helping the trapped are going viral and the whole of India is praying for a speedy rescue. In the shared videos we can see people trapped under snow being led out by the rescue team.
A video shows a man buried under snow, while the other uses a spade to remove the snow, the place was also approached by JCBs and cranes to help clear the snow.
Tourists visiting the place are allowed to go only till the 13th mile while this time they reached the 15th mile where they got caught in an avalanche, the Inspector General for Check post stated. It was also mentioned that the tourists without permission reached till 17th mile when the avalanche struck.
It is advised that tourists follow the guidelines properly and not make any thoughtless move out of enthusiasm as it might be life-threatening in places like hills/mountains. Hoping for the injured to recover faster and the trapped to be rescued sooner. Tvbharat24 is sending heartfelt condolence to the deceased and their family.