At dawn on June 8, an MI-17 helicopter roared over the landslide-scarred cliffs of Chaten in North Sikkim, its rotors slicing through monsoon clouds. Below, 28 stranded civilians, including three children, tourist taxi drivers, and government officials, waited desperately, their escape routes buried under tons of mud and rock. Within hours, all were safely evacuated to Pakyong Greenfield Airport, marking a rare victory in a week of tragedy for the Himalayan state.
The Miracle at Chaten: 28 Civilians Airlifted to Safety
The rescue, orchestrated by the Sikkim government after distress calls from locals, underscored a stark reality: in disasters, ordinary citizens often become the first responders. “The state government arranged a helicopter immediately after receiving pleas from stranded taxi drivers and officials,” confirmed an official, revealing how civilian urgency spurred action.
Disaster Unfolds: Landslides Cut Off Chaten
North Sikkim has endured relentless rainfall since late May, with over 130 mm of downpour triggering landslides that severed roads and telecom links across the Lachen district. The worst struck on June 1 at 7 PM, when a “catastrophic landslide” engulfed an Indian Army camp in Chaten, killing three personnel, Havaldar Lakhwinder Singh, Lance Naik Munish Thakur, and porter Abhishek Lakhada, and leaving six missing.
By June 6, the crisis had trapped 2,000 tourists in Lachen, Lachung, and Chungthang. While most were evacuated via road and air, Chaten remained isolated, its access roads obliterated.
The Civilians Who Refused to Wait
Unlike the military-led tourist rescues, the Chaten airlift was driven by locals. Taxi drivers, whose livelihoods depend on North Sikkim’s tourism, used surviving satellite phones to alert authorities. “They insisted evacuation couldn’t wait,” said an official. The government responded with a helicopter on June 8, prioritising civilians in the first sortie before retrieving 20 stranded army personnel in a second trip.
Key Details of the Rescue:
- Timeframe: Sorties began at dawn, with all evacuees landing safely by afternoon.
- Aircraft: An MI-17 helicopter, also delivering supplies to army troops.
- Evacuees: 28 civilians (3 minors, 12 taxi drivers, 13 officials) + 20 soldiers.
Why This Rescue Stands Out
- Citizen-Led Mobilisation: Unlike top-down military operations, this mission was triggered by grassroots pleas.
- Speed: The state secured the helicopter within 24 hours of distress calls.
- Dual Success: Civilians and soldiers were rescued in a single day despite ongoing landslides.
Contrast this with the June 1 army camp tragedy, where rescue teams still search for six missing personnel in “extremely challenging terrain”.
The Science Behind the Landslides
Geologists attribute the disasters to “extremely intense rainfall” saturating soil on deforested slopes. Satellite images show Chaten’s steep river cliffs eroded by water, destabilising the ground. “These are classic shallow landslides, fast-moving and deadly,” explains a terrain expert. The army camp, built near vulnerable slopes, was especially high-risk.
What’s Next for Sikkim?
- Search Ops: The army continues combing through debris for missing soldiers.
- Infrastructure Gaps: The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) races to repair collapsed routes like the Chungthang-Lachen road.
- Climate Warnings: Experts Urge Better Early-Warning Systems as Monsoons Intensify.
Conclusion: Heroes Without Uniforms
The Chaten airlift proves that in crises, courage isn’t limited to those in uniform. Taxi drivers and officials, armed with nothing but phones and persistence, saved their community. As Sikkim mourns its dead and rebuilds, its story offers a blueprint for resilience: when disaster strikes, speak up loudly.
