North Bengal Flood: Death toll rises to 28; Additional NDRF personnel deployed

The death toll from the catastrophic West Bengal floods and landslides has tragically climbed to at least 28, with dozens of people still missing, as torrential overnight rainfall triggered unprecedented destruction across Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and the surrounding North Bengal plains. The sheer intensity of the weather event, which saw the Darjeeling hill region record an astonishing 300mm of rainfall in just 12 hours on Saturday night, has resulted in a widespread disaster, isolating entire communities and bringing normal life to a grinding halt across the affected districts.

The Darjeeling district has borne the brunt of the devastation, confirming 13 bodies recovered from the Mirik area alone, alongside reports of several tourists, including one from Kolkata, being among the missing. The relentless downpour triggered nearly 100 landslides, with 35 classified as major incidents, leading to complete disruption of transportation and rendering several communities inaccessible for immediate rescue efforts. Fatalities have been reported across multiple locations, including Sarsaly, Jasbirgaon, Mirik Basti, and Dhar Gaon (Mechi).

Infrastructure damage has been catastrophic, most notably the Dudhia iron bridge collapse over the Balason River at 2:30 AM. This vital bridge, which connected Mirik and Kurseong, has now completely severed the connection between the tourist hub and Siliguri, effectively isolating the town. The collapse also swept away two houses and killed their occupants, highlighting the rapid escalation of the floodwaters.

The infrastructure crisis extends across the region. The collapse of the Bijanbari-Pull Bazar bridge has cut off Chungtong and Merrybong, while multiple bridges in the Dooars region have been swept away. Crucially, National Highway 10 is blocked at Chitrey due to heavy landslides, isolating the entire state of Sikkim. The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) has proactively closed all tourist spots until further notice to ensure public safety as the region struggles to manage the massive debris.

Adding to the complexity of the disaster, the Tala Hydropower Dam in Bhutan began overflowing early Sunday morning due to a surge in river inflow. This overflow has raised serious additional flood risks for downstream North Bengal districts, including Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar, prompting warnings to be issued to local authorities. This international component underscores the massive scale of the water influx challenging the region.

In response to the crisis, rescue and relief efforts are underway, with National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams deployed across affected areas, and Army units joining state agencies in the restoration work. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is scheduled to visit Darjeeling on October 6 (Monday) to personally assess the damage and coordinate relief efforts, while a 24x7 control room has been established at the state secretariat, Nabanna, to coordinate the multi-agency response.