Heavy Rain Hits Sikkim: Roads Blocked, 1,500 Stranded, 11 Missing

Dipanjan Mondal

June 01, 2025 :

The Teesta River's water level rose to a dangerous point on Sunday due to heavy and continuous rainfall. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for Sunday in the State’s Mangan district for heavy to very heavy rain in the region. The MeT also issued an orange alert for Sikkim’s Gyalshing, Namchi, Soreng, Gangtok and Pakyong for the next 24 hours. The district administration has advised residents to stay indoors and refrain from non-essential travel.

In Mangan, Sikkim, restoration work is ongoing on Sunday morning after one of the bases of the Phidang Bailey Bridge linking Mangan to Chungthang, was partially damaged by the Teesta's strong current, news agency ANI reported.

Approximately 1,500 tourists were left stranded in various parts of North Sikkim on Saturday after continuous rainfall triggered landslides that blocked major roads. 

Speaking to a news agency, Superintendent of Police (SP), Mangan district, Sonam Detchu Bhutia said, “The tourists went missing after the incident in which their vehicle fell into the river. Two of them were rescued safely on the night of May 29. The remaining nine, including the driver from Sikkim, ITBP, SDRF, and NDRF, conducted a rescue operation yesterday. But the car that had fallen into the river could not be pulled out as it was stuck in debris. We did not find any bodies near it.”

“There was heavy rain last night; there was also a cloudburst in the upper areas. The water level of the Teesta River has increased by 4 meters… The roads are broken at multiple places. The Deputy Commissioner is at the spot… The SDM and SDPO are directed to conduct search operations continuously… There are six tourists from Odisha, two from Tripura, and two from Uttar Pradesh. There were 11 people, including a driver from Sikkim,” Bhutia added.