Heavy rainfall & flash floods destroy bridge in Hills, Siliguri-Mirik route cut off

North Bengal has been severely affected by relentless monsoon downpours, triggering flash floods and multiple landslides across the hilly terrain. The situation turned critical on Friday after the raging waters of the Balasan River completely washed away the crucial temporary bridge at Dudhia. This structural collapse has entirely severed direct road connectivity between Siliguri and Mirik, leaving local residents and hundreds of vacationing tourists stranded. Landslides have been reported at several stretches along National Highway 110, particularly in the Kurseong division, where uprooted trees and falling debris have brought vehicular movement to a grinding halt.

The sudden environmental crisis has triggered panic among the hill populace, drawing painful comparisons to the devastating floods of October last year. Beyond the transit disruptions, the heavy rains have caused widespread infrastructure damage, snapping power transmission lines and plunging several remote pockets into darkness. Tour operators and regional administrative bodies are highly concerned about the safety of tourists currently stranded in the upper reaches. Stranded travelers attempting to head back to Siliguri are being forced to take a lengthy detour through Sukhiapokhri, though local authorities worry that this alternative route could also face closure if the rain continues. The regional meteorological office has offered little relief, forecasting that heavy to very heavy rainfall will persist across North Bengal over the next few days.

Meanwhile, the monsoon weather system has firmly extended its grip over South Bengal, bringing a heavy spell of downpours to Kolkata and its adjoining districts since Thursday night. On Friday morning, the state capital woke up to waterlogged streets and strong gusty winds that slowed down early morning commuter traffic. Weather officials have issued a severe alert across all southern districts, predicting widespread thunderstorms accompanied by wind speeds reaching 30 to 50 kilometers per hour.