Darjeeling: At a time when there is a tourist onrush to the Hills of North Bengal, life was thrown out of gear on Tuesday owing to incessant rainfall. The IMD has issued red weather warning for the Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts. There were reports of snowfall in Gurudongmar and Lachen in North Sikkim. A person died when a tree fell on the vehicle he was driving.
"Landslides have been reported from many areas of the Darjeeling Hills. Some rural roads have been damaged. 29 houses were damaged in different blocks in the Darjeeling Hills. Restoration work is going on at a war footing," stated S Poonambalam, District Magistrate, Darjeeling.
There is a landslide on the Goke to Singla Bazar road; a bridge on the Dhotorey to Rimbick road in Bijanbari has been damaged. The connectivity between Sukhiapokhari and Maneybhanjyang has been affected by a landslide leaving tourists returning from Sandakphu via Maneybhanjyang stranded.
"We have sent an Excavator to clear the slide on a war footing in order to resume vehicular traffic," added the DM.
Till this report was filed the National Highway 55, Rohini and Pankhabari roads to Siliguri from Darjeeling remained open to vehicular traffic. National Highway 10 to Sikkim was shut down at 3 pm owing to a landslide at 29th Mile. Restoration work was continuing on a war footing to open up vehicular traffic. Traffic was diverted through Coronation bridge, Teesta and Rungpo. Multiple landslides were reported in the Kalimpong municipality area in ward number 4, 15, 18 and 21 resulting in the damage of some houses, footpath and guard-walls. "We are in constant touch with tour operators and homestay owners so that no tourist is affected by the rains," stated R Vimala, DM, Kalimpong.
The Gorkhay bridge was damaged no cutting off Lingsey in Lingseykha with Pedong in Kalimpong. The road to Kolakham is also blocked. With the level of the River Teesta rising, miking was done and families residing in vulnerable houses on the banks shifted to nearby community halls in safe areas. Flights landing and taking off from Bagdogra Airport was cancelled owing to inclement weather and low visibility. Shops in Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Kurseong downed shutters early. Despite heavy tourist onrush, roads wore a deserted look. Tourists preferred to remain indoors with incessant rainfall from Monday night.
In the last 24 hours Darjeeling received 166.6 mm; Kurseong 186.2 mm; Kalimpong 151.8 mm and Siliguri 47.8 mm rainfall.