New Delhi
CNN:
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An avalanche killed seven tourists and injured 13 others in India’s northeastern state of Sikkim, local police said on Tuesday.
The incident happened at around 11:10 local time, the army said in a statement to CNN.
The army said at least 20 people were rescued after several vehicles heading to Nathu La Pass got stuck in the snow.
Some of the survivors were in critical condition and rescue efforts were ongoing, senior police official Tenzing Loden Lepcha told CNN.
The avalanche occurred near the Nathu La pass and hit the road connecting Nathu La and the state capital Gangtok.
Lepcha told CNN that the avalanche is unusual for this time of year and was caused by unseasonal rain and snow in the region.
Another 350 tourists and 80 vehicles were saved after the roads were cleared of snow, the army said.
Kavita Agarwal, a traveler from Delhi, told Reuters that police had warned tourists on the way to the Nathu La Pass not to visit the lake due to inclement weather.
“Sad because of the avalanche in Sikkim. My condolences to those who have lost their loved ones,” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on Twitter.
“I hope the injured will recover soon. Rescue operations are ongoing, all possible assistance is being provided to the victims.”