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Amid the catastrophe in the northeastern state of Sikkim, following the Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) in South Lhonak Lake creating havoc across the Teesta basin in Sikkim and North Bengal, a total of 523 tourists were left stranded in the Lachen village out of which, two suffered casualties, an official said.
"The situation in Lachen is too bad. Two people suffered casualties, the rest are safe...Due to the disconnectivity of the road, we can't travel...I would like to tell the tourists and their relatives to not worry since as per the state and central government's directions, most of them have been airlifted with the help of the army", said Samdup Lepcha, MLA, Lachen (Mangan) constituency. "Sikkim government has directed to finish the evacuation by tomorrow", he added. Meanwhile, the Indian Air Force airlifted 149 civilians stranded in Lachen and Lachung villages of Skikim's Mangan District on Monday, said a press release. According to the press release, the rescued airlifted civilians included 29 people from Chaten Village in Lachen, while 120 people were rescued from the Lachung village. The official release further mentioned that Lachen-Mangan MLA, Samdup Lepcha, also reached Chaten on Monday along with Mangan District Magistrate, Hem Kumar Chettri, and Superintendent of Police, Sonam Dechu Bhutia, where they met Lachen Pipons (local panchayats) and village elders. SP Bhutia informed that a total of 523 tourists were left stranded in Lachen and 60-80 civilians including tourists and locals will be evacuated tomorrow. According to the official release, the Mangan SP further said that the people in Lachen are facing LPG cylinder shortages and there is no electricity supply. We have promised to ferry medicines tomorrow through airlift but in terms of LPG cylinders, they will have to consider using firewood for the time being, he added. SP Bhutia further informed that two civilians in Zemu Village, a husband and wife working as General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF) guards are missing and there is a possibility that they might have been swept by the GLOF but still the search and rescue mission for the couple is still going on. The Mangan SP further said that in Munshithang, the village has been severely damaged but no person is missing or dead. The Trishakti Troops of the Indian Army also rescued 150-200 civilians from Rabom Village, North West of Chungthang on Monday, according to the press release. SP Bhutia informed that Chaten Power House inaugurated by CM Prem Singh Golay in September is safe, added the release. (ANI)
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