Monsoon rains trigger landslide in Mirik; several tourists stranded

A severe monsoon disaster has gripped North Bengal following relentless overnight downpours, leaving key districts heavily devastated, halting critical transport links, and stranding hundreds of tourists. In the hills of Mirik, a massive landslide struck the Gayabari area early Sunday morning, completely blocking the mountain highways with debris. Disaster management teams immediately launched emergency clearance operations, successfully restoring restrictive one-way traffic after hours of intense labor, though the risk of secondary shifts remains high.

Simultaneously, the plains are battling severe urban flooding and overflowing water bodies. In Alipurduar city, torrential rains have completely submerged multiple municipal sectors, including wards 1, 4, 5, 8, and 9. The situation turned critical after local authorities were forced to close major sluice gates due to the dangerously rising water levels of the Dima and Kaljani rivers. This preventative measure backfired locally by locking the accumulated rainwater inside the municipal boundaries, preventing any immediate drainage and cutting off crucial routes like the Falakata Road.

The administrative crisis has extended deeply into neighboring Cooch Behar as well. Continuous precipitation has caused the Torsa River to swell past its danger marks, sending heavy currents flowing directly over the vital Torsa Diversion bridge. The flooding has completely inundated residential pockets like the Madhupur area within Cooch Behar Block 2. Local North Vidhan Sabha MLA Sukumar Roy visited the submerged blocks on Sunday afternoon to personally inspect the waterlogging and coordinate urgent relief distribution for the displaced families.

Recognizing the severity of the weather system, the meteorological department has placed North Bengal under a strict red alert until Monday. Districts including Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri, and Alipurduar are projected to receive up to 200 mm of localized rainfall, while surrounding zones like Malda and the Dinajpur districts remain under orange and yellow alerts. Authorities have warned that the extreme weather patterns will persist throughout the week, significantly slowing down immediate recovery efforts.