Six tourists die, 11 injured in Sikkim avalanche

GANGTOK: A major avalanche in Tsongmo, a popular tourist destination in Sikkim, has left six tourists dead and injured 11 others, according to multiple reports.

The avalanche at the 14th milestone on Jawaharlal Nehru Marg connecting Gangtok with Nathula occurred on Tuesday at around 12.20 pm, news agency ANI reported.

Among the six dead are four men, one woman and a child.

A lady was rescued after being buried under snow for one and a half hours. Miraculously, she was still breathing.

The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) said 22 tourists have been rescued till now, including six from deep valley and shifted to nearby hospitals.

The rescue operations are still on.

Nathula Pass is situated on the border with China and its scenic beauty has made it a major tourist destination.

The avalanche had trapped 25-30 tourists, according to defence sources. Approximately five-six vehicles were also feared to have been buried under the snow.