Darjeeling: Incessant rains lashed the Darjeeling and Kalimpong Hills, forcing authorities to bar vehicular traffic on the recently-constructed Hume Pipe Bridge at Dudhia in Mirik over the Balason River. Despite a ‘yellow’ rainfall warning on Thursday followed by a ‘red’ alert on Friday, no major landslides, loss of life or significant property damage were reported across the Hills. However, several families took shelter in rescue homes as a precautionary measure.
The Hume Pipe Bridge, inaugurated by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on October 27, had been constructed in just 16 days following the October 4 deluge that had severely damaged the original iron bridge, disrupting road connectivity between Siliguri and Mirik. The Chief Minister, in consultation with the PWD, had ordered the construction of the temporary Hume Pipe Bridge to restore the vital link until a permanent structure is built.
“With heavy rains, the level of water in the Balason River has increased considerably. This is why we have closed the bridge till further notice. Once the weather improves and the water level recedes, traffic will resume,” said Anandamay Mandal, Executive Engineer, PWD (Roads).
Families residing in landslide-prone zones have shifted to rescue shelters. “We have around 350 persons in rescue shelters in the Darjeeling subdivision, while about 200 are staying with relatives. We are closely monitoring the situation. No major landslides or damage to houses have been reported so far,” stated Richard Lepcha, SDO, Darjeeling.
Even in Mirik, which had borne the brunt of the earlier deluge, the situation remained under control. “Our Soureni relief camp with 120 persons and Mirik relief camp with 145 persons are still operational,” said Arun Sigchi, Executive Sabhasad from Mirik, GTA.
A brief disruption occurred on National Highway 10, connecting Sikkim with Siliguri, when a landslide at 29th Mile blocked traffic for nearly an hour on Friday afternoon. The debris was swiftly cleared and movement resumed soon after.
Meanwhile, the BDO of Sukhiapokhri Block has issued an advisory banning all trekking and tourist movement to Sandakphu from Manebhanjan, citing the risk of heavy rainfall and possible route blockades. The GTA has also suspended all tourism-related activities, including rafting, paragliding, and camping, and closed all parks and gardens under its Tourism Department till further notice.
Rainfall recorded in the past 24 hours at 8:30 am on Friday was: Darjeeling 64.8 mm, Siliguri 69.9 mm, Sevoke 75 mm and Kalimpong 53.8 mm.