The Indian Army saved more than 2,500 people who were trapped in hundreds of vehicles due to heavy snowfall around Nathula near Gangtok in Sikkim. The people were stranded in more than 400 vehicles in the area. They were given food, shelter and medical care on Friday night.

T he Indian  Army wrote  taking to the micro-blogging site, Twitter, "Indian Army rescued more than 2,500 civilians stuck  in more than 400 vehicles around  Nathula, Sikkim due to heavy snowfall. All were provided food, shelter & medical care last night."

Worth mention here Nathu La is a mountain pass in East Sikkim district and is located at a height of 4,310 m (14,140 ft) above mean sea level. Indians can only visit the pass and after obtaining a permit in Gangtok.

It is noted that Sikkim received its first snowfall of the season on Friday giving the tourists to the Himalayan state motives to joyfulness. Snowfall in the state generally takes place in January while it does not snow in the Gangtok.

As per the meteorological centre, there was snowfall in the upper reaches of the state like Lachen and Lachung in North, at Ravangla in South and in Hanuman Tonk region in East Sikkim.

Tourists  took to the roads from their hotels and vehicles to take pleasure in the snowfall. The weather suddenly changed in the afternoon with lighting, rain and hailstrom in different parts of the state.