Heavy rainfall in Geyzing, West Sikkim, triggered multiple landslides along the Geyzing–Legship road, disrupting vehicular movement and cutting off the main road link to the district headquarters. The landslides, which occurred on Tuesday evening, were caused by 95.2 mm of rainfall in the past 24 hours, according to the India Meteorological Department. District Magistrate of Geyzing, Tenzing Denzongpa, reported that the major slide occurred about two kilometres from Geyzing town near a government school at Omchung, bringing down large boulders and sludge onto the road.
The debris has forced the closure of the crucial Geyzing–Legship route, with excavators deployed and clearance operations underway. It is expected to take another four to five hours to restore traffic movement. Zilla Panchayat member from the 15-Geyzing Territorial Constituency, Sagar Sharma, expressed concern over recurring disruptions, alleging that the issue remained unresolved despite repeated discussions.
Sharma noted that the Geyzing–Legship road serves as the district’s primary lifeline, with no alternative road available, making this route critical for the movement of people, goods, and emergency services. Authorities have urged commuters to avoid the affected stretch until clearance operations are completed and traffic movement is restored. Landslides have affected at least three locations along the road, including near Omchung, below the main slide area, and near Legship.
Sagar Sharma alleged that due to negligence by the Public Works Department and NHIDCL, this stretch continues to witness landslides every monsoon without any permanent restoration measures. The matter is raised every year in DISHA Monitoring Committee meetings, but no long-term solution has been implemented.
