Guwahati: Two workers lost their lives, and four others were seriously injured after a fresh landslide struck a road-clearing operation in Sikkim‘s Namchi district on Saturday, officials said.
The incident took place on the road linking Sada and Phamtam villages, where a team of six workers had been deployed to clear debris left by an earlier landslide that had blocked the route.
While the workers were removing the debris, another landslide suddenly swept through the area, burying all six under mud and rocks.
Rescue teams, assisted by residents, immediately launched an operation to pull the trapped workers from the debris. Two of them, identified as 18-year-old Lal Bahadur Rai and 61-year-old Man Bahadur Gurung, succumbed to their injuries.
The four injured workers -Anil Rai, Mohan Bahadur Chhetri, Mahendra Rai and Sonam Wangdi Bhutia were rescued and rushed to the District Hospital in Namchi. Officials said they sustained grievous injuries and are undergoing treatment.
Senior district officials, including the District Collector, the Additional District Collector and the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, reached the accident site to oversee the rescue and relief operations.
Personnel from the district administration, police and local villagers worked together to carry out the rescue operation.
The latest incident underscores the continuing threat of landslides in Sikkim during the monsoon season, particularly in areas where road restoration work is underway following heavy rainfall.