Tourists stranded due to heavy snowfall enroute Gangtok

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Around 270 tourists were stranded on the 17 Mile while returning from Tsomgo and Nathula to Gangtok due to heavy snowfall but they have been rescued, an official said today.
The tourists were stranded at 17 Mile last evening when heavy snowfall made the road back to Gangtok unmotorable. The East district administration and Superintendent of Police D B Giri, helped by the Border Roads Organisation and Army units, rescued all the stranded tourists and found them accommodation at facilities available in the area.
All the stranded tourists were escorted back to Gangtok this morning when clear weather thawed the roads, the official informed.

Out of 270 stranded tourists, 240 are Indians and 30 were Nepalese nationals, the official said.
No tourist traffic was allowed up to Tsomgo from Gangtok today in light of the still heavy snow in the higher reaches.