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More than 20 dead, hundreds stranded. At least 24 people, including children, lost their lives, as heavy rains triggered a massive landslide on Sunday, 5 October in Darjeeling and nearby areas, causing havoc. Udayan Guha, minister of North Bengal development, called the situation “dangerous”, while Gorkhaland Territorial Administration Chief Executive Officer Anit Thapa said that the landslide took place at 35 places in 35 places in the picturesque “Queen of the Hills”. (Image: PTI)
2 , 9The worst hit area | According to the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and local authorities, deadly people were reported from several places including Mirik Basti, Sarsali, Jasbirgaon, Dhar Gone, Mirik Lake Area and Nagkata in Jalpiguri district. Mirik was the worst hit, with 11 deaths, while Darjeeling Subdivision reported seven, and Nagkata saw five deadly. (Image: PTI)
3 , 9Roads and infrastructure severely damaged. The houses were swept away, and major roads including Mirik -Sukhpokhari route are blocked. An iron bridge connecting Siliguri to Darjeeling was damaged, causing further separation to the area. (Image: PTI)
4 , 9Tourist trapped between chaos. Hundreds of tourist tourist tourists from Kolkata, Howrah, and Hooghly were trapped while visiting the region during the festive season, forced to stay indoors amidst a continuous decline. (Image: PTI)
5 , 9Rescue operations are going on. Rescue teams, including the Indian Army and NDRF personnel, made tireless efforts to clean the debris and find out the missing persons. Temporary relief camps have been set up for the affected families. (Image: PTI)
6 , 9Government’s response | West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee held a high-level meeting, opened 24/7 control room, and announced compensation for the victims. He also assured that arrangements would be made to safely vacate the trapped tourists. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences and said that the situation is being closely monitored. (Image: PTI)
7 , 9Dangerous rainfall levels | Banerjee said that more than 300 mm of rainfall was recorded in 12 hours, causing severe floods and landslides. The Meteorological Department of India (IMD) has issued alerts for very heavy rainfall in West Bengal, including Darjeeling and Kalimpong till 6 October, till 6 October, warning of further landslides and road disruptions. A red warning has been issued for the COOCH Behar and Jalpaiguri districts, while Darjeeling is an orange warning. (Image: PTI)
8 , 9Long -term cause | Experts and environmentalists have warned that human activities, including deforestation, unplanned construction and poor drainage systems, have made the delicate slopes of Darjeeling extremely weak for landslides. He urged the construction norms, climate-sensitive development and strict enforcement of decentralized disaster scheme to prevent such tragedies in future. (Image: PTI)
9 , 9Historical echoes | Sunday’s disaster echoes the tragedies of the past, including a deadly 1968 deluse, which killed about 1,000 people, which highlighted the ongoing vulnerability of the region for rapid weather events from climate change. Authorities described the disaster as the worst since the 2015 landslide, killing about 40 people in the region. (Image: PTI)