Incessant rainfall over the past few days has triggered landslides and flash floods across north Bengal, claiming at least four lives and severely disrupting normal life, officials said on Saturday.
A major landslide struck Mirik in Darjeeling district, leaving four persons dead and several others injured. The 10th National Highway, connecting Siliguri with Darjeeling, has been blocked at multiple points due to landslides, cutting off road connectivity between the plains and the hills.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar and Alipurduar districts, warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall till Monday morning.
Several tourists have been stranded in the hills as vehicular movement remains severely restricted. The bridge at Dudhiyara, linking Mirik and Siliguri, has suffered extensive damage, while portions of the 29 Mile area and Baluwakhani have been submerged by the overflowing Teesta river.
In Siliguri’s Porajhar area, a breach in an embankment led to inundation of vast tracts of land and several houses. Rivers including the Teesta, Mahananda, Jaldhaka and Torsa are flowing above the danger level, triggering fears of worsening flood conditions.
District administrations have started evacuating residents from vulnerable zones to safer locations and initiated relief operations. Officials said the situation may deteriorate further if the rain continues unabated over the next 24 hours.
