Sikkim open for tourists after October floods

Two months after Sikkim was hit by the flash flood in the Teesta River, the state's government has announced that all of its popular destinations are open for tourists, except for extreme parts of North Sikkim. Sikkim government's Tourism and Civil Aviation Department, Additional Secretary, Bandana Chettri said that all the regions of the state under different districts, namely Gangtok, Namchi, Soreng, Pakyong, and Gyalshing are safe to visit and the weather conditions in these areas are very soothing in this festive season. "Except for the extreme Northern part of Sikkim which is not accessible, all other destinations of the state are open for tourists and there is no untoward situation as the impact of flood in Teesta has since normalised," said an advisory on Monday.

She urged tourists to visit the Himalayan state, which is known for its pristine natural beauty. The Himalayan state was hit by a flash flood in the Teesta River, triggered by a cloudburst in the early hours of October 4 in which 40 people were killed. Over a million tourists visit Sikkim every year with the tourism industry being the core economic activity. The National Geographic channel has featured Sikkim in the list of coolest destinations to visit in 2024. Recently, a few parts of the state like Gurudongmar and Tsmgo experienced early snowfall. As per reports, it's the first time that the state experienced such early snowfall. Last year, the snowfall was around the last week of December.