Landslides in Darjeeling, Kalimpong due to heavy rain

National Highway 10 blocked

Amitabha Banerjee, MP, 22.09.20, Darjeeling: Incessant rainfall for the past 24 hours has triggered several landslides all over the Hills. The National Highway 10, the link road connecting Sikkim to Siliguri was closed throughout the day owing to a landslide at 29th Mile. A single lane was open to traffic on Tuesday evening. The MeT office has predicted more rains in this region in the next 72 hours. 

A landslide occurred at around 7:30 pm at the NH-10 at 29th Mile on Monday. The NH workers, however, cleared the debris and opened the highway to traffic at around 10:30 pm on Monday. On Tuesday morning, the NH-10 was found to be blocked again owing to a landslide at Chyangbajhora at 29th Mile. Serpentine traffic jams were witnessed on both sides of the highway. "We worked relentlessly and at around 3:30 pm we could open up a single lane. However, with the heavy rains continuing there could be fresh slides," said Krishna Gupta, NH-10 contractor. 

Landslides occurred in different areas of the hills including municipal and tea garden regions. No loss of life has been reported. In many places electric supply was disrupted. 

Darjeeling recorded 125.6 mm of rainfall; Kurseong 107.2 mm; Kalimpong 85 mm; Gangtok 55.8 mm and Siliguri 24 mm in the past 24 hours. 

"Heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely to occur in the next 72 hours in North Bengal and Sikkim. An upper trough of low pressure area is present from Maharashtra to Sub Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim. Moreover there is strong moisture incursion from the Bay of Bengal in this region resulting in such weather conditions," stated Dr Gopinath Raha, Head of IMD, Gangtok.

(Courtesy & source: Millenium Post- http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/landslides-in-darjeeling-kalimpong-due-to-heavy-rain-419076)