Over 2,700 tourists rescued after heavy snowfall strands vehicles near Tsomgo Lake

More than 2,700 tourists were rescued after heavy snowfall left hundreds of vehicles stranded near Tsomgo Lake in East Sikkim, officials said on Wednesday.

Intense snowfall in the higher reaches of Sherathang and surrounding areas caused severe road blockages, trapping 541 tourist vehicles between 15th Mile and the lake. The sudden change in weather conditions left visitors unable to proceed or return safely.

Authorities launched a coordinated rescue operation, evacuating all 2,736 tourists in a phased and systematic manner. The operation was completed late on Tuesday night without any reported injuries.

Following the incident, the state Tourism Department urged visitors and tour operators to strictly adhere to official weather advisories. It also stressed that vehicles travelling in snowfall conditions must be properly equipped, including the mandatory use of snow chains, to prevent similar situations in the future.

With PTI inputs