Darjeeling Landslides: Death toll Rises to 24; Rescue Operations Continue Despite Heavy Rain

The death toll from devastating landslides in West Bengal's Darjeeling district has risen to 24, with rescue operations intensifying as heavy rains continue to complicate efforts and leave several people missing. North Bengal Development Minister Udayan Guha confirmed the latest fatality late Sunday night, warning that the number could increase further due to the challenging conditions. Thousands of tourists remain stranded in remote hill areas, cut off by blocked roads and washed-away bridges, as authorities race against persistent downpours to restore access and provide aid.

Triggered by over 300 mm of rainfall in just 12 hours—far exceeding the region's average monthly precipitation—the landslides have wreaked havoc across the Darjeeling hills and the adjacent Dooars foothills. Severely impacted areas include Mirik, Sukhiapokhri, and Jorebunglow in the Darjeeling district, as well as Nagrakata in neighboring Jalpaiguri.

These fragile Himalayan slopes, prone to such disasters during monsoons, saw entire hillsides collapse, burying homes, roads, and tea plantations under tons of mud and debris. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) attributes the extreme weather to a low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal, which has saturated soils and heightened risks in this ecologically sensitive zone.

Rescue teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), supported by local disaster management units, are deploying heavy earth-moving equipment at over 40 landslide sites to search for survivors trapped under rubble. "Clearing operations are underway around the clock to reopen key routes like Mirik-Darjeeling and Sukhiapokhri," an official stated. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is slated to visit the affected regions later today to assess the damage and coordinate relief.

The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), which governs the hills, has partnered with NGOs to establish relief camps offering food, blankets, medicines, and water to displaced families. However, road connectivity to several hamlets remains severed, with officials considering helicopter evacuations for isolated villages.

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Hundreds of Durga Puja vacationers are among those marooned, unable to descend to the foothills town of Siliguri via arterial highways. Batch-wise evacuations are underway using alternative paths, though progress is slow. The IMD has issued alerts for heavy to very heavy rainfall through Tuesday morning across Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, and Cooch Behar districts, cautioning that saturated ground could trigger additional slides. "The risk remains high," an IMD spokesperson emphasized.

This tragedy echoes past events like the 2017 landslides that killed over 40 in the same region, underscoring the urgent need for improved early-warning systems and sustainable infrastructure in West Bengal's vulnerable hill tracts.

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