At least six people have died in West Bengal’s Darjeeling district after a landslide struck Mirik. The Dudia Iron Bridge, which connects the district towns and tourist hotspots of Mirik and Kurseong, has also collapsed.
A landslide, triggered by heavy rainfall, has also been reported from Hussain Khola, which lies along National Highway 110 near Kurseong. The visuals show how landslides have buried roads under mud, from villages to national highways.
The region has been under red alert as the weather body predicted extremely heavy rain in Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri, and Alipurduar until Sunday morning. A well-marked low-pressure area will bring heavy to very heavy rainfall in sub-Himalayan West Bengal till Monday morning, the India Meteorological Department said.
The IMD, in its bulletin, further mentioned that heavy rains will continue until Monday morning in Darjeeling's neighbouring district of Alipurduar in North Bengal.
Due to incessant rainfall through the night in the hill districts, a large area in the neighbouring district, Jalpaiguri's Malbazar, has been submerged under waters.
The water levels of the Teesta, Mal, and other hill rivers are flowing well above the danger mark, creating a flood-like situation.
Light to moderate rainfall is likely at most places in these districts till Monday morning, the IMD said in a bulletin.
“The well-marked low-pressure over west Jharkhand and adjoining areas of south Bihar, southeast Uttar Pradesh and north Chhattisgarh is likely to move north-northeastwards towards Bihar, and weaken gradually into a low-pressure area by Saturday evening,” it said.
In most places in south Bengal, light to moderate rain is forecast, with heavy rainfall in Murshidabad, Birbhum and Nadia districts, till Monday morning.
The Met office said light to moderate rainfall occurred at several places in West Bengal in the past 24 hours till 8.30 am on Saturday, with Bankura recording the highest at 65.8 mm, the bulletin added.
