Gangtok, Apr 24 (PTI) Around 1,000 tourists were stranded in picturesque North Sikkim on Thursday following landslides in the Himalayan state which is also witnessing heavy rain, the police said.

Around 200 tourist vehicles were stranded at Chungthang and the occupants are staying in a Gurudwara there, they said.

Chungthang is nearly 100 km from the state capital Gangtok.

The police said that massive landslides have occurred at Munshithang on the Lachen–Chungthang road and at Lema/Bob on the Lachung–Chungthang road.

The situation was aggravated by continuous rain in the region.

The district administration has instructed all tour operators not to send tourists to North Sikkim on Friday and until further notice, officials said.

The authorities have cancelled all permits given to tourists for visiting the region on April 25.

According to local administration, access roads to Lachung and Lachen have been severely affected, leaving around 1000 tourists stranded.

Lachung and Lachen are hill stations, known for their natural beauty and proximity to popular tourist destinations like Gurudongmar Lake and Yumthang Valley. PTI COR NN