Wildlife, tourists stranded as flood fury ravages Jaldapara

Alipurduar: Continuous rainfall and the raging currents of the Torsa and Sisamara rivers have unleashed widespread devastation across the 216.51 sq. km Jaldapara National Park, endangering both wildlife and human lives.

The swelling Torsa River has swept away “countless” animals, including one-horned rhinos, leopards, bison, and deer. Forest officials and locals could only watch helplessly as stranded animals battled the surging waters. In a rare stroke of luck, two rhinos from the park defied the powerful current and reached human settlements in Shimlabari and Suripara, saving themselves.

The crisis deepened after thousands of pine logs stored at a Bhutan Forest department timber depot in Phuentsholing were washed downstream into Indian territory, further intensifying the river’s force. The impact of the drifting logs destroyed the only wooden bridge connecting Madarihat to the Jaldapara Tourist Lodge run by the state tourism department, leaving at least 30 tourists stranded at the government lodge.

In the Shishamara area of Alipurduar-1 block, breaches in the Sisamara River embankment submerged several private tourist lodges. Overall, 15 lodges were inundated, stranding around 128 tourists in the region. Amid the worsening situation, the Jaldapara Forest department has suspended both elephant and jeep safaris indefinitely. Officials have assured that all tourists lodged in both government and private facilities are safe and will be evacuated once conditions improve. Until noon on Sunday, the Irrigation Department had issued a red alert for both protected and unprotected stretches of the Torsa River.

Mithun Sarkar, proprietor of a private lodge in Shishamara, said, “Cracks have appeared at seven points along the embankment, and water is gushing in rapidly. We are extremely worried.”

Divisional Forest Officer Parveen Kaswan said: “No one can control nature, but we are working tirelessly to restore normalcy in Jaldapara National Park. Tourists were evacuated from Madarihat tourist lodge using elephants. All tourists are safe.” District Magistrate R. Vimala added, “Several tourists are still stranded. We are closely monitoring the situation. Those stuck at the Jaldapara Tourism Lodge will be evacuated once the water level recedes.”