KOLKATA, Dec 27: Over 1,000 tourists stranded in snow in eastern Sikkim were rescued by the Army on Sunday. Nathu La and Tsomgo, Sikkim's top tourist destinations bordering China, have been experiencing massive snowfall since Friday, the mercury going down the zero level, to -8 and - 4 degree C.

"On 25 Dec 2021, approx 1027 tourists who had been stuck in the upper reaches of East Sikkim near the China Border at Nathu La following heavy snow on Saturday were rescued by the Indian Army," the Army said in a statement.

Army personnel rescued 1,027 tourists and shifted them to the military camp near 17 Mile. They were provided accommodation, food, warm clothings and medical aid, the statement said.

“After the heavy snowfall, the vehicles started skidding on the Jawaharlal Nehru Marg that connects these areas with Gangtok. Altogether, there were approx 1027 tourists in 120 vehicles, who got stranded over a stretch of 15 Kilometres,” it said.

Around 300 tourist vehicles were stranded along the route to Nathu La and Changu Lake as snowfall made returning to Gangtok difficult. Vehicles were skidding on ice and slime, according to Sikkim Chronicle.

The tourists were stranded as the snowfall between 17th Mile and Nathu La occurred all of a sudden. No new permits will be issued for the eastern destinations till the situation normalises.

Among the stranded, 250 tourists were from various places in Bengal.