Thirty-three people – including two American nationals – stranded in rain-battered, remote Chaten region of North Sikkim, were rescued by the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Wednesday, ANI reported.

North Sikkim has witnessed devastating landslides triggered by heavy rainfall, prompting the air force to initiate urgent rescue and relief operations in Chaten.

"In response to the devastating landslides in Sikkim, Indian Air Force Mi-17 helicopters rapidly launched Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Ops -- dropping relief supplies, inserting NDRF teams, and evacuating 33 stranded individuals, including two US nationals, from the remote Chaten region," IAF said in a statement.