Darjeeling/Kolkata: At least 20 people, including numerous children, have died and many others have been injured as relentless rains triggered significant landslides across the Mirik and Darjeeling hills in West Bengal on Sunday. These landslides swept away homes, disrupted road connections, isolated villages, and left hundreds of tourists stranded, according to officials. Reports from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and district administration indicate fatalities occurred in multiple locations, including Sarsaly, Jasbirgaon, Mirik Basti, Dhar Gaon (Mechi), Nagrakata, and the Mirik Lake area. North Bengal Development Minister Udayan Guha expressed that the loss of life is tragic and described the situation as alarming, stating, “As of now the death toll is 20. It is likely to rise.
I am en route to the affected area.” The NDRF reported that at least 11 fatalities have been confirmed in Mirik, the hardest hit area, and seven injured individuals have been rescued from there. In Darjeeling, seven additional deaths have been reported, and rescue operations are ongoing with the assistance of police, local administration, and disaster response teams. Darjeeling Sub-Divisional Officer Richard Lepcha stated, “Seven deaths have been confirmed due to a major landslide in the Darjeeling subdivision, triggered by heavy rainfall since last night. Rescue and relief efforts are currently underway.” Hundreds of tourists, who visited the Darjeeling hills for Durga Puja and subsequent festivities, have found themselves stranded as severe rainfall has caused extensive landslides.
Many of these tourists, including families and groups from Kolkata and other regions of Bengal, were enjoying popular destinations such as Mirik, Ghoom, and Lepchajagat when the downpour began on Saturday. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced aid for the victims, though she did not disclose the specific amount or exact death toll. She plans to visit north Bengal on Monday to evaluate the situation, describing it as grave. “Due to continuous rain in Bhutan, water has overflowed into North Bengal. This disaster is unfortunate—natural calamities are beyond our control. We are deeply saddened.
I have been holding virtual meetings with officials from five affected districts along with the chief secretary and have been monitoring the situation since 6 am,” she remarked. President Draupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed their condolences regarding the fatalities and stated that the situation in Darjeeling and nearby areas is being closely monitored. The landslides have impeded traffic on crucial routes, including the Mirik-Sukhiapokhri road, while communication lines to several hilltop communities have been disrupted. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for extremely heavy rainfall in sub-Himalayan West Bengal, including Darjeeling and Kalimpong, warning of further landslides and road blockages due to saturated soil conditions.
According to the NDRF, road connectivity remains significantly compromised in the Darjeeling district and North Sikkim, and an iron bridge linking Siliguri with the Mirik-Darjeeling route has been damaged, cutting off access to the area.