Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Oct 5: At least 18 people, including several children, were killed and several others injured as incessant heavy rainfall triggered multiple landslides across the Mirik and Darjeeling hills in the northern part of West Bengal on Sunday sweeping away homes, damaging roads and cutting off several remote hamlets as well as road connectivity to the Himalayan state of Sikkim.
The Police and local administration have started a rescue operation. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will be visiting Darjeeling on Monday. According to reports compiled by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the district administration, fatalities were reported from several locations – Sarsaly, Jasbirgaon, Mirik Basti, Dhar Gaon (Mechi), Nagrakata and Mirik Lake area.
According to the NDRF statement at least 11 people have died in Mirik, the worst affected area in the landslide, and seven injured have been rescued from the area. In Darjeeling, seven people died and the rescue operations were underway with the help of police, local administration and disaster response teams.
“Seven deaths have been reported due to a major landslide in Darjeeling subdivision triggered by heavy rainfall since last night. The rescue and relief work is on,” Darjeeling Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) Richard Lepcha said.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced compensation for the victims without specifying the amount and the number of deaths and said she would visit north Bengal on Monday after the conclusion of the Durga Puja Carnival in Kolkata on Sunday in which over 100 puja committees will take part, to assess the situation in the region where a large number of tourists have also been affected.
The Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences over the deaths and said the situation in Darjeeling and surrounding areas was being closely monitored in the wake of heavy rains and landslips. “Deeply pained by the loss of lives due to a bridge mishap in Darjeeling. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon,” Mr Modi said on X. “The situation in Darjeeling and surrounding areas is being closely monitored in the wake of heavy rains and landslides. We are committed to providing all possible assistance to those affected,” the Prime Minister said.
At least 40 people were rescued from the debris in Dhar Gaon, Nagarakata, where heavy mudslides flattened several houses. North Bengal Development Minister Udayan Guha described the situation as “alarming” and pegged the death toll at seventeen citing reports.
The landslips disrupted traffic movement on key routes, including the Mirik-Sukhiapokhri road, while communication lines to several hilltop settlements were snapped. Ms Banerjee described the situation as “grave.” “Due to incessant rain in Bhutan, the water has overflowed into North Bengal. This disaster is unfortunate – natural calamities are beyond our control. We are deeply saddened. I held virtual meetings with officials of five affected districts along with the chief secretary. I have been monitoring the situation since 6 a.m.,” she said.
According to Ms Banerjee, more than 300 millimetres of rainfall occurred in just 12 hours, causing severe flooding and landslides across at least seven locations. She compared the situation to the intense flooding that Kolkata experienced last month during the festive season.
“There has been continuous, heavy rain for 12 hours. Landslides have occurred at seven locations. I am keeping a close watch and hope to reach by around 3 p.m. on Monday,” she said. Thousands of tourists have been stranded across the region due to the landslides and road blockages. The CM assured them that the state government would make arrangements to bring them back safely and appealed to tourists not to panic or rush to leave.
“Many tourists are stranded. I request them not to hurry. Please stay where you are. Hotels must not overcharge them. Their safety is our responsibility, and the administration will ensure that,” she said. Ms Banerjee also announced that the families of those killed in the disaster would receive government compensation and employment for one of their members, though she did not specify the amount.
A senior police officer said heavy and continuous rain has severely hampered rescue operations. “The terrain is slippery, and several houses have been damaged. The extent of damage is still being assessed. Earthmovers are finding it extremely difficult to operate on these slopes,” he said.
Several families in Bishnulal Gaon, Ward 3 Lake Side, and Jasbir Gaon in Mirik have been shifted to safer places as precautionary measures, while temporary relief camps have been set up in coordination with local NGOs and the district administration.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for extremely heavy rainfall in sub-Himalayan West Bengal, including Darjeeling and Kalimpong, till Monday warning of more landslides and road blockages due to saturated soil conditions.
According to the NDRF, road connectivity remains severely disrupted in Darjeeling district and North Sikkim, and an iron bridge connecting Siliguri with the Mirik-Darjeeling route has been damaged, cutting off access to the region. It also said one village in Mirik is currently marooned due to flooding and road blockages.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah expressed grief over the loss of lives in Darjeeling due to heavy rains and said teams of the National Disaster Response Force have been deployed, with more troops on standby if needed. Mr Shah said he also spoke to Darjeeling MP Raju Bista and took stock of the situation there.
“Deeply saddened by the tragic loss of lives in Darjeeling due to heavy rains. My thoughts are with the people who lost their loved ones. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured,” Mr Shah said in a post on X. The Home Minister said teams of the NDRF have reached the spot and more teams are on standby to join them as and when needed.
To prevent any untoward incident, the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration has decided to shut tourist spots in Darjeeling, including the Tiger Hill and Rock Garden. The toy train services have also been suspended. Authorities have asked residents and tourists to be careful and keep themselves updated on road and weather conditions. Heavy rain has also affected other areas in north Bengal, such as Jalpaiguri, Siliguri, and Cooch Behar, leading to waterlogging in several areas.
The weather office had earlier warned of heavy rain in North Bengal and Sikkim. It had also issued two red warnings for Sikkim, predicting moderate thunderstorms with lightning, heavy rains, and gusty winds. The weather office has said the rainfall in the region is likely to continue until October 7. Officials have also warned that this may lead to flash floods in North Bengal.
Visuals from the affected areas show damaged bridges, washed-out roads and rivers in spate. The weather conditions in the region have also caused heavy damage in Nepal, claiming 22 lives in the past 36 hours.
Officials across North Bengal have put the area on high alert after Bhutan’s Tala Hydropower Dam began overflowing due to a technical failure, heightening worries in a region still grappling with the devastating impact of Darjeeling’s landslides.
The crisis at the hydroelectric installation emerged after crucial gate mechanisms malfunctioned, preventing normal water release operations. Bhutan’s National Centre for Hydrology and Meteorology confirmed the technical breakdown at the Druk Green Power Corporation facility, which has resulted in excess water cascading over the dam structure.
Indian authorities received official notification from Bhutanese counterparts regarding the infrastructure failure, prompting immediate mobilization of emergency response systems. The West Bengal government has activated disaster protocols across districts likely to face downstream consequences.
Emergency response teams stationed in Alipurduar have been placed under maximum readiness conditions, according to National Disaster Response Force officials. The agency has cancelled all personnel leave and is positioning an additional contingent of 15 specialists from its Siliguri training centre to strengthen local capacity.
Meteorological analysis indicates a weather system that formed over eastern Uttar Pradesh has progressed eastward, currently positioned near Madarihat in the Dooars plains. Should significant precipitation occur across Bhutan’s mountainous terrain, water volumes in North Bengal’s river systems could surge dramatically within hours, creating conditions for sudden flooding events.
Bhutan’s specialized flood monitoring unit will maintain continuous communication with power facility operators to track evolving conditions, according to official statements. District authorities throughout North Bengal have received directives to ensure maximum preparedness, with particular emphasis on communities situated along waterways and in topographically vulnerable zones.
Administrative personnel have been instructed to establish direct channels with Bhutanese technical teams to obtain updated water flow measurements and forecasts.