Alipurduar: A major tragedy was averted on Wednesday morning when a private bus carrying around 40 passengers, including 21 school students, got stranded in the Bangri River following a sudden flash flood on the Madarihat–Totopara road in Alipurduar district.
The bus, the only private service connecting remote Totopara—nestled at the foothills of Bhutan’s Tading Hills—with Birpara, left around 9:30 a.m. En route, it crossed several hilly streams swollen from overnight rains, including the Titi and Haudi rivers. However, at around 10 a.m., while attempting to cross the Bangri River, a sudden surge of floodwater overwhelmed the vehicle. The driver lost control, and the bus got stuck mid-stream, caught in the strong current.
Panic broke out among the passengers, particularly the schoolchildren from Madarihat High School. Some managed to jump off, but many remained trapped inside the swaying bus.
Police from Madarihat Police Station rushed to the spot but were initially unable to intervene due to the dangerously rising waters. After nearly three tense hours, the water began to recede, paving the way for a rescue operation. All passengers were successfully evacuated and no injuries were reported.
Bakul Toto, secretary of the Toto Kalyan Samiti, said: “Everyone was saved today. But how long must we endure this neglect? We desperately need at least one proper bridge over these rivers.” Student Sonam Karzi of Ballalguri said: “This bus is our only connection. The government bus service that started in January was stopped within two months. Today, we were lucky. Next time, who knows?” Visibly distraught bus owner Mohan Saha said: “I continued this service for the sake of Totopara’s people. Now, the engine and other parts are severely damaged. I don’t know how I’ll recover.”
Officer-in-Charge Ashim Majumdar confirmed that all passengers were rescued safely.