At least 23 people, including seven children killed after heavy rainfall caused massive landslides in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal on Sunday. However, the situation is slowly getting better, according to Rajesh Kumar Yadav, the Director General and Inspector General of North Bengal Police, who visited the impacted areas.
Landslides in Darjeeling destroyed properties
The landslides destroyed homes, damaged roads, and cut off access to several remote regions. Reports from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the district administration identified fatalities from several places, including Sarsaly, Jasbirgaon, Mirik Basti, Dhar Gaon (Mechi), Nagrakata, and the Mirik Lake area.
Meanwhile, authorities in North Bengal are on high alert after the Tala Hydropower Dam in Bhutan began overflowing due to a technical failure.
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee expressed deep concern about the severe flooding in both North and South Bengal. She said, “Last night, there was sudden rainfall of over 300 mm in 12 hours in North Bengal, and there was a simultaneous high flow of water into the Sankosh River, along with generally high river flows from Bhutan and Sikkim.
Latest update about landslides
The NDRF and district authorities have confirmed 23 deaths so far, with two more people still missing. North Bengal Minister Udayan Guha reported the toll as 17 as of 2 PM Saturday. Fatalities noted in Sarsaly, Jasbirgaon, Mirik Basti, Dhar Gaon (Mechi), and Mirik Lake.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for sub-Himalayan West Bengal, including Darjeeling and Kalimpong, predicting extremely heavy rainfall until October 6.
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