Winter rain, hailstorm hit normal life in Darjeeling Hills

MOHAN PRASAD, SNS, KURSEONG, 12 JANUARY 22: Heavy rainfall and a hailstorm lashed the Hills, including the Kurseong area today afternoon, with the Zero Point on Rohini Road near Kurseong town covered under a thick layer of white sheet.

The skies both in the Hills of Darjeeling and the Plains, were overcast since early morning today, while a cold wave swept through the region.

Dense fog engulfed the area amid the falling hailstones, inconveniencing motorists, who said they faced visibility problems at various places in and around Kurseong, and slippery road conditions.

"Although the hailstorm was heavy, it did not accumulate on roads and rooftops for a longtime as the stones were soon washed away by the pouring rain after a while " a local at Zero Point Bazaar, said.

While a section of the people faced problems, others enjoyed the cold weather, while children and adults were seen playing with the hailstones at their houses and on the main roads. Social media was soon flooded with photos and video clips of the hailstones and people enjoying them.

'The change in the weather today prompted us all to stay indoors today, while we ventured out for a while only to play with the hailstones,' another local man  in Kurseong town said.

"It is freezing cold here, but we are liking it and are enjoying the weather," he added.

On the other hand, the heavy rainfall led to water gushing out of the main road in the heart of Kurseong  Bazar while social media was quick to upload video  clips of the same with captions and headings like "River flows through town."  Netizens in the region slammed the powers that be and in the town for the poor drainage system even as the situation left pedestrians and motorists having a tough time negotiating the almost flooded area in the town filled with garbage brought down the roads by the gushing waters. 

Later in the evening people in the town were seen huddled around bonfires to keep themselves warm as mercury dipped further. At some places, people sat around a fire with the cuppa and hot 'pakodas* (snack) in  their hands.