Gangtok: Nearly 300 yaks have died due to starvation following heavy snowfall in North Sikkim district since late last year, an official has said. The North Sikkim District Magistrate Raj Yadav confirmed the death of around 300 yaks due to starvation during heavy snow fall in Mukuthang and Yumthang regions since December 2018.

Around 300 Yaks died of starvation in Mukuthang, North Sikkim, India due to excessive snowfall @Dept_AHD @peta

Natural or Man-Made disaster?? pic.twitter.com/qG1cJOkWWm

— abhinay bhandari (@AbhinayBhandari) May 11, 2019

While carcasses of around 250 yaks were found in Mukuthang region, 50 yak carcasses were found in Yumthang recently, Yadav said on Saturday. "It appears that these dead yaks had got nothing to eat during the prolonged period of snowfall since December last year," Yadav said. The animal husbandry department's medical team has reached Mukuthang, he said.