Multiple landslips in Darjeeling hills; toy train services affected

Landslip on Lebong Cart Road, in Darjeeling, on September 26, 2024.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Due to incessant rains in northern West Bengal, multiple landslips occurred in Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts and damaged many houses. The toy train services from Siliguri to Darjeeling were also disrupted due to these landslides that were triggered by heavy downpour.

The landslips also killed one person, who was identified as 78-year-old Raghubir Rai, from Bijuwa village in Sukhia Pokhri, Darjeeling district. The accident happened on Thursday (October 3, 2024) when boulders crashed on his house during severe landslips in the area.

Landslips have also affected traffic movement on NH10, which is the main road connecting north Bengal and Sikkim.

India Meteriological Department (IMD) has also issued notice and rain warnings for parts of West Bengal. They issued flood and landslip warnings in the area as a precautionary measure for locals. Their official notification stated, “Landslip in hilly areas in the districts of Darjeeling and Kalimpong. Temporarily water logging in low lying areas, reduction in visibility during intense spells of rain.”

Light to medium rainfall is likely to continue in several districts of the State as West Bengal gears up for the Durga Pujas according to IMD reports.

Kishore Pradhan, a resident of Teesta Bazar in Kalimpong district, who was displaced in the north Bengal floods of 2023 told The Hindu that he and his family are already suffering from last year’s calamity and this year’s landslips and flooding have added to their woes. Mr. Pradhan said: “400 of us marched for 10 km to the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) office today to protest against the lack of rehabilitation, compensation, and protection of our people. The heavy work done by NHPC on Teesta river has caused the water level to rise and railway tunnelling work has added to the problem. We lost our homes last year. So many of us have nowhere to go. This year again the same thing is happening.”

The Teesta river water levels are running above danger levels due to endless rains. Mr. Pradhan also mentioned, “Due to lack of dredging and dam constructions on Teesta, the water levels run so high that every time it rains even a little bit all our houses go under water.”

Goutam Deb, Mayor of Siliguri and Observer of Jalpaiguri District Trinamool Congress Committee, also reached the flood affected areas and distributed relief materials. He oversaw the relief work being conducted in the area to restore normalcy.