Rains and landslides continue in the Darjeeling and Kalimpong Hills... Darjeeling Himalayan railway Service from NJP to Darjeeling suspended

We pen, July 9, 2019: Darjeeling and Kalimpong Hills have received more than half of the monthly rainfall in the last three days of incessant rain. The heavy rains have triggered landslides throughout the Hills throwing life out of gear.

"The average monthly rainfall for July for the Darjeeling and Sikkim region is 615.8mm. Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong have received 53%, 78% and 42% respectively of the monthly rainfall average in the last 3 days" stated Prafulla Rao of Save the Hills.

On July 6, Darjeeling had received 44 mm of rains; Kurseong 85.6 mm and Kalimpong 150 mm. On July 7, Darjeeling received 172 mm of rain; Kurseong 210.4 mm and Kalimpong 50 mm. On July 8, Darjeeling received 112 mm; Kurseong 186.8 mm and Kalimpong 62.2 mm of rains.

On Tuesday, the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway service from New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling was suspended with the tracks being blocked with debris, rocks and trees from the slide.

"We are trying to clear the debris, rocks and trees that have fallen on the tracks. As soon as the lines are clear the NJP-Darjeeling services will resume" stated a DHR official.

The NH55 between Kurseong and Siliguri was also closed to vehicular traffic owing to this landslide. Earth movers were pressed into service to clear the debris. By evening part of the debris were cleared thereby allowing vehicles to ply.

A landslide at the Ghayabari bypass road from Ghayabari caused the road to sink. A part of the road was washed away.

In Darjeeling town there was a landslide in front of Loreto Convent school. Debris and soil from the slide blocked the road to the school. Earth movers were called in to clear the road. The vulnerable hill side was covered with tarpaulin sheets to stop seepage of water.

Anit Thapa, Chairman, Gorkhaland Territorial Administration visited the landslide affected sites. "We have requested the Municipality to give priority to cleaning up the drains and jhoras to ensure smooth flow of water" stated Thapa.

He then visited the Ghoom Jorebungalow area. "There are multiple slides in the Ghoom Jorebungalow area. Houses and roads have been damaged. We have called for a report of the damages. The earth moving equipment have been kept on standby. We are on alert and keeping a close tab on the situation. The GTA will also provide tarpaulin sheets in case of shortage" added Thapa.

Meanwhile in Upper Rongpo Bustee in Kalimpong the house of one Manju Tamang was fully damaged in a landslide.

The Indian Meteorological Department in a weather bulletin has issued orange warning (heavy rainfall to very heavy rainfall) for July 10 to July 12.

"In most of the hilly built up areas the drainage is altered and in most cases choked. This leads to saturation of slopes thereby rendering them unstable. This triggers the landslide. This needs to be corrected so that water can drain out" stated Dr. SS Porwal, ADG (retd) Border Roads Organisation.

As per the bulletin Kalimpong received 14 cm of rainfall and Darjeeling 10 cm of rainfall in the past 24 hours.