7 tourists killed as avalanche hits Sikkim; rescue operations under way

Seven tourists were killed and many others are feared trapped after a massive avalanche hit a site near Sikkim's Nathula mountain pass on Tuesday.

Rescue and clearance operations are still on, police said.

It said around 5-6 vehicles along with 20-30 tourists on way to Nathula are feared to have been trapped under the snow.

A total of 350 stranded tourists and 80 vehicles have been rescued after snow clearance from the road.

Nathula Pass, at a height of 4,310 metres, is situated on the border with China and is a major tourist destination because of its scenic beauty.

The avalanche hit the 15th Mile on Jawaharlal Nehru road connecting Gangtok with Nathula about 11.30 am.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the loss of lives in the incident.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, too, condoled the death of tourists and said the central government was closely monitoring the situation.