A dark silence hung over the hills of North Bengal as torrential rain battered Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and parts of Jalpaiguri through the weekend. The landslides that followed tore through mountain roads and villages, sweeping away homes, people and animals. In Mirik and Sukhiapokhri, the devastation was particularly severe—nine people were confirmed dead in Mirik alone, seven in Sukhiapokhri, and one in Bijanbari. By Sunday morning, the death toll across Darjeeling had climbed to 23.
advertisement
The landscape of the hills changed overnight. The iron bridge over the Balason river at Dudhia collapsed under the force of floodwaters, cutting off Siliguri from Mirik. Roads were buried under mud—Hill Cart Road lay shattered and Rohini Road was impassable. Even the famed Toy Train tracks were obscured by debris. The Teesta swelled menacingly, and National Highway 10—the lifeline connecting Siliguri to Sikkim and Kalimpong—was shut down. Only a few alternative routes, such as through Pankhabari and Mungpoo, remained open, causing crippling congestion as tourists and locals struggled to find a way out.
Administrative sources said hundred
Continue Reading on India Today
This preview shows approximately 15% of the article. Read the full story on the publisher's website to support quality journalism.