Rescue operation underway after incessant rain triggered a landslide in the Upper Rimbi area around midnight, in Gyalshing, Sikkim, on Friday.
© PTIRescue operation underway after incessant rain triggered a landslide in the Upper Rimbi area around midnight, in Gyalshing, Sikkim, on Friday.
A massive landslide triggered by heavy overnight rains struck Upper Rimbi in Yangthang Constituency, West Sikkim, late Thursday night, resulting in the deaths of four people and leaving three others missing. Rescue operations involving police, border security forces, disaster response teams, and local villagers are ongoing under challenging weather and terrain conditions.

Two injured women were rescued; one later died in hospital while the other remains critical. The state government has urged residents in vulnerable areas to stay alert as rainfall continues and has assured full support for victims and rescue measures.



Rescue Operations Amidst Challenging Terrain

The landslide struck while residents were asleep, crashing down on several homes and sweeping away members of a family. Among the deceased are Bhim Prasad Limboo (53), his sister Anita Limboo (46), son-in-law Bimal Rai (50), and seven-year-old granddaughter Anjal Rai.

District officials and security forces constructed a temporary wooden bridge across the swollen Hume River to reach stranded victims and evacuate the injured. Geyzing SP Tshering Sherpa highlighted the bravery and coordination of the rescue teams, which included the police, Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and local villagers.

Despite torrential rains hampering efforts, Minister for Building and Housing Bhim Hang Limboo, who is also the local MLA, stated that operations continue with urgency and resources including heavy machinery mustered to facilitate the search for the three missing persons.

Heavy machinery has been deployed, but continuous heavy rains and unstable terrain have severely hampered rescue operations. Authorities caution locals in landslide-prone areas to move to safer locations amid ongoing search efforts.