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Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Expert mountaineers assist safe crossovers across Theng landslide zone

STRANDED PEOPLE AT CHUNGTHANG, REASSURED BY EXPERT ASSISTANCE, BEGIN WALKING IT TO MANGAN
RELIEF TEAM DESPATCHED FOR YUMTHANG HOT-SPRINGS
GANGTOK, 26 Sept: The team of four mountaineers led by Kazi Sherpa of Indian Himalayan Centre for Adventure Sports [Chemchey] landed at Chungthang on Sunday. The brought along 300 kgs of rations and their mountaineering expertise to the stranded town. Also yesterday, another team of 4 mountaineers were airdropped at Lachen along with 400 kgs of provisions.
The arrival of the mountaineering experts at Chungthang has been of great help. The team has been deployed at the troublesome Theng landslide between Chungthang and Toong to guide and assist crossovers for people wishing to leave Chungthang for Mangan by foot. The Mangan-Chungthang road, it may be recalled is open up to Toong, but the walk is challenged by landslides, the most dangerous of which is the one at Theng.
The expert climbers have reinforced the crossover with ropes and are stationed there guiding people safely across. With helicopter sorties disrupted by inclement weather and extremely poor visibility, the presence of expert climbers at Theng has encouraged many to opt for the walk to Mangan.
Chungthang residents inform that many have already left for Mangan by foot, substantially reducing the pressure on the town which had been hosting people, most labourers engaged at various works-sites north of Chungthang, wanting to leave. With heliservices disrupted, this crowd had grown enormously, with Chungthang hosting at least an additional 500 people apart from its own residents, most of whom prefer to live in relief camps set up in open spaces.
Also today, a team of six Lachungpas left Chungthang for Yumthang where a group of people from the area have been stranded for the past week. This group had left for the hotsprings at Yumthang and had planned to stay there for a fortnight. They have provisions with them, and their safety has been confirmed, and the team from Chungthang, expected to reach Yumthang on Tuesday, has been sent to ascertain their well being and check on their requirements. Escorting them back by foot is not a very viable option since some of them are senior citizens.

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