Incessant showers trigger landslides in Hills; one dead

Amitava Banerjee | MP | 12 Aug 2021 | Darjeeling: Incessant rainfall has triggered landslides in the Hills of Darjeeling. 

An army personnel died in a rock fall near Sevok Kalibari. Some houses were damaged in the Kurseong and Mirik sub divisions. The 24-year-old deceased, Rinchen Tamang, an army personnel who was on leave, was returning home to Soreng in West Sikkim. He had hired an auto at Salugara for travelling towards Sevok Kalibari on National Highway 31. 

Near Sevok Kalibari, a huge boulder came rolling down the Hill and crashed on the auto. Both Tamang and 60-year-old Ganesh Barman, the Auto driver were grievously injured. 

They were rushed to the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital in Siliguri. Later, Tamang breathed his last at NBMCH. A huge landslide occurred at Hasua, Sittong 3 GP, near Coronation Bridge on the National Highway 10. 

Traffic movement to Sikkim and Kalimpong was disrupted throughout the day with serpentine traffic jams on both sides of the landslide. "Light vehicles have been routed through alternative routes (Mal and Jor Bungalow.) 

Two teams are working on a war footing. We hope to clear the debris by tonight and open the road to traffic," stated S. Ponnambalam, District Magistrate, Darjeeling.

About 9 houses were partially damaged in the Kurseong and Mirik sub-divisions. A road under the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration from Rimbik to Bansbotay was damaged at Namla in the Rimbik GP.

In the last 24 hours, Siliguri recorded 139mm of rain; Darjeeling 32.1mm; Kurseong 28mm and Mirik 34mm. 

http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/incessant-showers-trigger-landslides-in-hills-one-dead-449632?infinitescroll=1