Guwahati, June 5 -- Rescue operations in rain-ravaged North Sikkim resumed on Thursday after a crucial break in the weather, successfully bringing 59 stranded tourists back to Gangtok.

Severe weather and landslides trapped a group of 109 tourists in Lachung for nearly a week, and these individuals were among them.

According to the official reports, two MI-17V5 helicopters departed from Pakyong airport near Gangtok early Thursday morning. One helicopter rescued 39 tourists, while the other brought back 20, including two foreign nationals.

The Sikkim Nationalised Transport (SNT) is facilitating the rescued tourists by deploying buses to help them reach Siliguri in West Bengal.

An additional helicopter remains on standby at Pakyong airpo...