MORE RAINS LIKELY IN NORTH...Landslides keep hills out of bounds

, 13 July 2019, Siliguri: Torrential rain in north Bengal, particularly in the sub-Himalayan region, continued to trigger landslides in the Darjeeling hills, keeping Sikkim and Kalimpong virtually out of bounds and caused accidents on slippery roads.

NH10, the principal highway to Sikkim and Kalimpong, remained cut off for most part of Friday as it took several hours for the public works department and other authorities to clear the debris at Swetijhora near Sevoke. Late in the evening, light vehicles were allowed to move in a single file through the stretch A fresh landslide between Lava and Gorubathan closed the alternative route to Kalimpong and Sikkim. Vehicles bound for the mountains had been taking this route since the landslides on NH10.

In Sikkim, a number of minor landslides were reported in Singtam and some other areas.

"Travel along NH10, particularly between Sevoke and Teesta Bazaar, has become precarious. Boulders, pebbles and mud are hurtling down intermittently at a number of locations. There is always a risk of being hit by a stone. Also, several stretches have become muddy and there is a chance of tyres skidding," said Sumit Lama, a driver who travels regularly to Gangtok from Siliguri.

On Friday morning, a vehicle from Sikkim turned turtle on the Lanku-Latpanchar Road to Siliguri after losing control, injuring three persons. "The only route from Siliguri to Sikkim and Kalimpong that was open on Friday was Teesta BazarPeshok-Darjeeling. A minor landslide occurred near Goethals Memorial School in Kurseong, which is why some vehicles were diverted via Dow Hill Road," a source said. The body of Aman Garg, one of the tourists from Rajasthan whose vehicle had plunged into the Teesta in spate on Tuesday was found at Gajoldoba, near the Teesta barrage, on Friday.

MeT office sources said the weather would continue to be the same for the next twothree days. "There is a chance of heavy downpour in most parts of north Bengal," said a weather expert.

Sources in the irrigation department in Jalpaiguri said they had opened a round-theclock control room.

"The water levels in the rivers are on the rise. We are collecting information on a regular basis from different locations and will sound alerts as and when necessary. In case it rains heavily in the hills and also in Bhutan, there is a chance that the rivers will swell further and cause flash floods," said an official