Himalayan region landslides kills 10, leaves 2,400 tourists stranded in northeastern India

CNN —

At least 10 people have died in flooding and landslides across Himalayan regions of India and Nepal following heavy rainfall on Thursday, according to local officials. The severe downpours have also left 2,400 tourists stranded in the northeastern Indian state of Sikkim.

Six people died in India’s Sikkim state and another four died from a landslide in neighboring Nepal’s Koshi province, according to officials.

“It’s continuously raining since the past 36 hours … we have recovered the dead bodies and they have been handed over to the families,” Hem Kumar Chettri, a district magistrate from Sikkim told CNN. At least 45 houses, roads, bridges and infrastructure had been “badly damaged” by the rainfall, he added.

Bordered between Bhutan and Nepal, the northeastern state of Sikkim is known for its scenic Himalayan landscapes, boasting 28 mountain peaks, 21 glaciers and more than 200 lakes. But like any mountainous region, it is prone to deadly flash floods and landslides.

Last year dozens of people died after a glacial lake in the state burst following torrential rain and scientists have warned extreme weather will become more frequent and more intense as the human-caused climate crisis intensifies.

The mountainous terrain of northeastern India is prone to landslides. Landslides leave behind destruction in the Kalimpong district of West Bengal, India on June 13, 2024.

Chettri said approximately 2,400 tourists are stranded in various tourist spots in the state after landslides covered roads with debris and heavy rainfall damaged some bridges.

In this photo taken on May 26, 2024, villagers carry water pots in Shahapur district of India's Maharashtra state, amid ongoing heatwave. (Photo by Indranil MUKHERJEE / AFP)