E-Paper
2 killed in landslides triggered by rainfall in Darjeeling, Sikkim
In Darjeeling, Babulal Rai, 59, a resident of Puttabong in the Bijanbari community block, died after his house was hit by a landslide on Friday
Landslides triggered by incessant rainfall claimed a life in north Bengal’s Darjeeling district while another died in the adjoining state of Sikkim on Friday morning, said officials, adding life was affected in several other parts of the hilly region.
In Darjeeling, Babulal Rai, 59, a resident of Puttabong in the Bijanbari community block, died after his house was hit by a landslide on Friday.
Rai’s wife and granddaughter had a miraculous escape as they were in another part of the house when the kitchen, where Rai was working, was crushed.
Darjeeling district magistrate S Ponnambalam said: “The victim’s body has been recovered from the debris. Minor landslides have occurred at a few other locations where some houses were damaged. There was another major landslide on National Highway 10 in Kurseong district as well. All roads in Darjeeling district have been cleared for traffic.”
In Sikkim, a three-year-old boy died in Gyalshing district on Friday morning. Sikkim chief minister Prem Singh Tamang offered his condolences to the bereaved family.
“The landslide that struck their home and damaged it, taking two rooms and, more importantly, the precious child, has left our entire community in shock and mourning,” Tamang said in a statement on his Facebook page.
The Sikkim government handed over a compensation of Rs.4 lakh to the family of the deceased boy and promised another Rs.5 lakh. “Further, Rs.5 Lakh will be given to the family from the chief minister’s relief fund,” Tamang wrote in the post.
The weather office said the region will continue to receive heavy rainfall for the next two days.
