Monsoon misery rains on north

TT,  27 Jun 2019, Siliguri: The southwest monsoon that has hit north Bengal has led to heavy downpours in some parts of the region, causing flash floods and inundation. During the downpour that has started since Tuesday night, six persons have died due to lightning and landslide while another has gone missing while trying to cross a river.

In Alipurduar, it has rained over 400mm in past 24 hours (till Wednesday morning), which has led to flood in 17 of the 20 municipal wards. Also, water levels have increased in rivers and streams, which in some places have spilled over the banks and have flooded adjoining localities.

The rain has also led to landslides in some parts of Darjeeling hills, Sikkim and also in the neighbouring country of Bhutan.

In Malda, five persons died while 10 others got injured when they were struck by lightning. Sources said a group of people were working at a field in Gazole block when they were struck by lightning. Four died on the spot. In another incident, lightning killed a 14year-old girl in Manikchak when she was busy in collecting mangoes in an orchard.

In Jaldhaka under Kalimpong district, the downpour led to landslides. One such landslide damaged the house of Manju Dorjee (39) at Manjetar in Gorubathan block.

Manju fell under the debris and died on spot. Her husband and son are under treatment at the super-specialty hospital in Malbazar.

Also, Komal Kheria, a resident of Angrabhasa in Nagrakata block of Jalpaiguri, was swept away by the swelling Diana river while she was try- The entrance to the inspection bungalow of the PWD inundated as the Jayanti river bursts banks on the the outskirts of Alipurduar; (below) children trudge through water at a health centre in Jalpaiguri's Banarhat on Wednesday. Pictures byAnirban Choudhury and Biplab Basak ing to cross it. In Sikkim, landslides blocked a number of roads in the state while in Bhutan, a mudslide the descended near Phuentsholing, the bordering down, reached to houses and also covered a few cars.

The most affected town ho- wever, was Alipurduar where the rainfall was recorded at 405.04 mm. Also, it rained heavily in the blocks of Kalchini, Kumargram and Madarihat of the district. Altogether, over two lakh people had to face inundation at their houses.

The administration has initiated relief and rescue works. Those staying near the banks of rivers have been shifted to safer places.

"We are ready to face the flood. All necessary arrangements have been made and relief and rescue works have been initiated in affected areas, including Alipurduar town," said Surendra Kumar Meena, DM, Alipurduar.

In the district, the Torsha river has swelled and has breached around 50-metres of its embankment near the Titi forest that is in the fringes of Jaldapara National Park.

"If water levels continue to rise, even the Asian Highway 48 might get flooded," said a resident of Madarihat.

Also, the connectivity between Falakata and Alipurduar has snapped as a culvert has been washed away by Chartorsha, a stream flowing in the route. People have to take a turnaround route to reach Falakata now. Also, the Basra river has flooded Hamiltongunj in Kalchini.

The rain water also accumulated near the Dooars rail track, particularly in Hasimara station. There was no disruption in train movement but trains moved slowly through the partially inundated stretches throughout the day, said sources.

In Jalpaiguri district, the downpour has mostly affected Banarhat in the Dooars. Hatinala, a stream flowing through the locality, has swelled and spilled over its banks, flooding many areas of Banarhat and also some adjoining tea estates.

In most other districts of north Bengal, rainfall was reported on Tuesday night and also till Wednesday afternoon. Weather experts have hinted more rains during the next few days.

"This is because the monsoon is active in the region. Also, a low pressure area is developing in Bay of Bengal which can bring in more rains. There is a forecast of heavy rainfall during next couple of days," said a Met source..