Darjeeling: Incessant rains throughout Saturday triggered landslides, causing widespread devastation in Kalimpong district and Darjeeling hills, leaving more than 20 persons dead and many missing. Mirik subdivision is the worst affected. Road connectivity has been disrupted throughout the Hills, including National Highway 10 and NH 110 (earlier NH55). The devastation was a rerun of the Teesta flash floods that wreaked havoc on October 4, 2023 in the hills of Darjeeling and Kalimpong.
While Darjeeling recorded 261mm of rainfall in the past 24 hours (recorded at 8:30 am on Sunday), Kalimpong recorded 166.4mm as per the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, taking to X, expressed concern and said that she would arrive in Siliguri on Monday to assess the situation and to oversee the search, rescue and rehabilitation operations.
“The state government is taking every possible step to normalise the situation. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been monitoring the situation from Kolkata since Saturday. She has held several rounds of virtual meetings with the district administration and police. From Monday, she will monitor the situation from Uttarkanya, the mini secretariat in Siliguri. She is scheduled to arrive here on Monday,” stated Siliguri Mayor Gautam Deb while addressing a Press conference at the Jalpaiguri Circuit House.
The GTA Disaster Management Team, along with SDRF and NDRF units, have reached the affected sites and are actively carrying out rescue and relief operations. “The President, Prime Minister and Union Home minister have also taken note of the situation in Darjeeling. We remain hopeful that this tragedy will be recognised as a national disaster, ensuring greater support and relief for the affected. A virtual meeting with the Chief Minister has already been held. To make the relief work more effective, continuous coordination is being maintained with local point persons and the state government. Monitoring of the situation is being carried out round-the-clock,” stated Anit Thapa, Chief, Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA).
In Mirik, 11 people have lost their lives. Under Jorebungalow Police Station, 4 deaths have been reported, 2 deaths under Sukhipokhari Police Station and one in Darjeeling Sadar. Around 5 people are feared dead on the Nepal-India border at Maneybhanjyang on the Nepal side. Several people have been injured and are currently being treated at local hospitals and North Bengal Medical College, stated Thapa.
One Himadri Purokait, a 25-year-old tourist from South Kamarpole, South 24-Parganas went missing from a homestay at Malat, Pultar on the banks of Balason River below Sonada. He was camping on the riverbed. At around 2 pm, he called up the homestay owner and stated that he was in a tight spot having been washed away by water and mud. He asked the homestay owner to rescue others. At 2:15 pm, he went incommunicado. “I am in constant touch with his family members. A search operation is on. Till Sunday night, he remained untraceable,” stated Rajesh Chauhan, Deputy Chairman, GTA, who is overseeing the search operation. Landslides have been reported at 35 locations. 37 houses completely destroyed and 98 houses partially damaged. 8 motorable roads washed away. 5 roads are currently blocked due to landslides. 2 bridges and 2 dams are damaged.
“Three rescue shelters have been set up in Mirik, accommodating 80 rescued individuals. Community kitchens have been started to provide food and basic supplies. Post-mortems of the deceased have been conducted at Mirik Hospital itself, with doctors brought in from Kurseong Hospital. We request all those families living in vulnerable areas to come to the relief camps,” stated Amar Lama, Advisor to the GTA Chief. The administration has arranged vehicles for families to transport the bodies for final rites. Ambulance services have been provided to shift four seriously injured persons to North Bengal Medical College.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed multiple teams in the Mirik area. According to NDRF Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Mohsen Shahedi, three teams have already been mobilised from Darjeeling, Siliguri and Alipurduar, while two more teams, one each from Malda and Kolkata, are en route to the affected sites. “Our personnel are engaged in intensive rescue and relief operations to locate missing persons and assist the stranded villagers,” stated Shahedi.
Rajesh Kumar Yadav, Inspector General of Police (North Bengal) visited Mirik on Sunday. “We are assessing the situation. Reports have been sent to the state government,” stated the IGP. By Sunday noon, the NH55 (now NH110) was open to traffic to Siliguri along with the NH10 connecting Sikkim with the plains of Siliguri. NBSTC had arranged buses to ferry stranded passengers from Siliguri to Kolkata. All tourist spots under the GTA remained closed on Sunday for the safety of the tourists. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway services from NJP to Darjeeling remain suspended till further notice. However, joy rides plied.