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Darjeeling landslides kill 23; villages cut off, tourists on Durga Puja holiday stranded | 10 points
At least 23 people, including children, have lost their lives in one of the worst landslides to hit Darjeeling in a decade.
West Bengal's picturesque Darjeeling on Sunday saw one of the worst landslides in a decade triggered by relentless rainfall hit the hill district and adjoining Jalpaiguri, killing at least 23 people and leaving many others injured.
Some villages were cut off entirely, houses were swept away, roads blocked, and communication networks were snapped, leaving hundreds of tourists stranded amid widespread devastation in Darjeeling.
Darjeeling landslides | Top updates
– Darjeeling landslides death toll: At least 23 people, including children, have lost their lives in one of the worst landslides to hit Darjeeling in a decade. "Total number of deaths reported so far is 23, spanning across Mirik, Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri," PTI news agency quoted an NDRF official as saying.
– Darjeeling, Mirik worst hit: According to the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and local district administrations, 18 deaths were reported from Darjeeling district alone, with 11 in Mirik, the worst-affected region, and seven more in subdivisions such as Jorebunglow, Sukia Pokhri, and Sadar Police Station areas. A separate operation in Nagrakata (Jalpaiguri district) led to the recovery of five bodies from debris.
– Situation ‘alarming’: Earlier in the day, North Bengal development minister Udayan Guha called the situation “alarming”. The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), which oversees the Darjeeling region, said landslides were reported at 35 locations across the region. “Landslides have been reported at 35 locations across the picturesque area, known as the 'Queen of the Hills',” PTI quoted Anit Thapa, chief executive, GTA.
– Worst landslide disaster since 2015: Officials say this may be the worst landslide disaster since 2015, when nearly 40 people were killed in the region. The current wave of destruction has seen entire slopes give way, key roads like the Mirik-Sukhiapokhri route blocked, and highways buried in thick layers of mud.
– Tourists stranded: Hundreds of tourists, many from Kolkata, Howrah, and Hooghly, who had flocked to hill stations like Mirik, Ghoom, and Lepchajagat for the Durga Puja holiday, are now stranded indoors due to torrential rain that began Saturday night.
– Road connectivity severely hit: The NDRF reported that road connectivity has been severely disrupted across Darjeeling and North Sikkim, with an iron bridge connecting Siliguri to the Mirik-Darjeeling route damaged, cutting off major access routes.
– What CM Mamata Banerjee said: In response to the escalating crisis, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee chaired an emergency meeting at the state secretariat, Nabanna, and announced that she would personally visit North Bengal on Monday, October 6, to assess the damage. "The situation is grave. Due to incessant rain in Bhutan, water has overflowed into North Bengal. This disaster is unfortunate-natural calamities are beyond our control," CM Mamata Banerjee said, speaking to a news channel. She said that over 300 mm of rainfall was recorded in just 12 hours, triggering landslides and floods across at least seven sites.
– PM Modi expresses grief: Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the tragedy and said the central government was monitoring the situation closely. “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. The situation in Darjeeling and surrounding areas is being closely monitored in the wake of heavy rains and landslides,” PM Narendra Modi wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
– IMD forecast: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an alert for extremely heavy rainfall in sub-Himalayan West Bengal, including Darjeeling and Kalimpong, valid through October 6. A red alert remains in effect for Cooch Behar and Jalpaiguri, and an orange alert for Darjeeling district. The IMD has also warned of more landslides and road blockages due to saturated soil.
– Nepal rain: Fallout of the rain over the Himalayas was seen in Nepal, which borders West Bengal's Darjeeling. Nepal has been battered by heavy rains which triggered landslides and flash floods resulting in the death of 52 people in 24 hours till Sunday. In other news, hundreds of trekkers stranded by a blizzard near the eastern face of Mount Everest in Tibet had been guided to safety by rescuers, Chinese state media reported on Sunday.
