Heavy rain triggers flood fear

A woman carrying umbrella moves through a Siliguri street during rains on Tuesday. (Passang Yolmo)

TT, Siliguri: North Bengal and Sikkim have been battered by heavy rains in the past two days, triggering apprehensions of fresh floods.

The monsoon picked up the steam after a few days of sunny sky with high temperatures being recorded in the Darjeeling hills and Sikkim.

The southwest monsoon that has been active over Sikkim and sub-Himalayan Bengal is causing bouts of rain in the region, with the sky mostly remaining cloudy since Sunday.

In the past 24 hours, it rained more than 100mm at Barovida, Hasimara and Neora in the Dooars. Champasari (Siliguri) and Gangtok recorded a rainfall of around 70mm.

"As the monsoon is steady over north Bengal and Sikkim, there is a warning of heavy to very heavy rain (70mm to 200mm) at some places in the next couple of days," said an official of the meteorological department.

According to him, an eastward trough from a cyclonic circulation that developed over central Uttar Pradesh is extending to Assam across Bihar and sub-Himalayan Bengal.

"This is bringing in the rains. The data received from different weather stations indicate that the weather conditions are likely to remain same at least till Thursday," said the official.

The resumption of rainfall has made officials of the state irrigation department apprehend a rise in water levels of rivers and rivulets.

"As it is steadily raining in the hills and the foothills, there is a chance of rise in water levels, which might lead to fresh floods. We are keeping a close watch and constantly checking water levels of different rivers at multiple locations. If the rain continues, there is a risk that the unprotected areas (where there are no embankments) of rivers would get inundated," said a source in the irrigation department.

The rainfall has also caused damage to roads and streets at different places, including Siliguri.

"Across Siliguri, the condition of roads is pathetic. Minor accidents are occurring every day and the road condition worsened in rains. No initiative has been taken by the civic body here to repair the roads. Minor accidents are occurring every day," said Ranjan Sarkar, the leader of opposition at Siliguri Municipal Corporation.

Asok Bhattacharya, the mayor, said the municipality had sought funds from the state government to repair the roads.