Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri: Heavy rainfall in Sikkim has inundated stretches of Kalimpong along the River Teesta and parts of Jalpaiguri district as river levels rose sharply
National Highway 10 and the Kalimpong–Darjeeling route via Teesta Bazar remained closed to traffic for most of Tuesday due to landslides and waterlogging. The roads reopened late afternoon after water levels receded and debris was cleared.
Residents along the Teesta in Kalimpong spent a sleepless night as the river swelled dangerously, reviving memories of the October 4, 2023, flash floods. District authorities and police made announcements in Rongpu, Melli, Teesta Bazar, 29th Mile, and Gale Khola, urging people to remain alert and shift to safer areas. By Tuesday morning, Ravijhora under Teesta Bazar were submerged, shutting the Kalimpong–Darjeeling route. Landslides at 10th Mile and Tarkhola on NH10, Sikkim’s lifeline, also halted traffic. Earthmovers cleared debris and dredged silt, enabling both routes to reopen later.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a Yellow rainfall warning (7–11 cm) for Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and Malda on July 30; for Alipurduar, Cooch Behar, and South Dinajpur on July 31; and for Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, and North Dinajpur on August 1. Orange warnings (7–20 cm) were issued for Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, and Cooch Behar for August 2–3, followed by Yellow alerts for Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and Cooch Behar on August 4.
Rainfall recorded till 8:30 am Tuesday: Gangtok 123.4 mm, Mangan 116.2 mm, Darjeeling 47.4 mm, Kalimpong 33.8 mm, Jalpaiguri 29.6 mm.
Meanwhile, heavy water discharge from the Teesta Barrage flooded nearly 500 homes across Kranti and Mal blocks in Jalpaiguri. In Kranti block, around 250 houses in Pandit Para, Basusuba, and Master’s Para in Chapadanga were inundated. Mal block saw flooding in 78 homes at Saheb Bari and Paschim Dalaigaon (Changmari GP), 36 in Apalchand, 60 in Totgaon (Bagarkot GP), and 45 in Apalchand slum.
The Irrigation department reported 3,608 cusecs of water discharged from Teesta Barrage and 270 cusecs from the Teesta–Mahananda Link Canal on Tuesday morning, followed by an additional 1,805 and 182 cusecs, respectively, in the afternoon. A red alert remains for unprotected areas between Dohomoni and the Mekhliganj–Bangladesh border.