Darjeeling's Monsoon Nightmare: Deadly Landslides Isolate Hill Region, Claim Seven Lives

Darjeeling, the picturesque hill station renowned for its tea gardens and breathtaking vistas, has been plunged into a state of profound crisis following a night of relentless monsoon downpours. Massive landslides, triggered by the incessant rains, have claimed at least seven lives and catastrophically severed vital road links, effectively isolating the region and leaving a trail of devastation.

The calamity, which struck in the early hours of July 1, 2015, around 1:30 am, saw large sections of hillsides give way, burying homes and sweeping away infrastructure.

The Mirik sub-division has been particularly hard-hit, with at least eight locations reporting significant landslides. Similar scenes of destruction have unfolded in Sukhia Pokhari, Kalimpong (eight places), and Kurseong (eleven places), transforming familiar landscapes into treacherous zones.

The human toll is tragic.

Among the confirmed fatalities, four individuals—Lalit Mallik, his wife Khusbu, and their two daughters Priya and Puja—were victims in Mirik, their home engulfed by the moving earth. In Kalimpong, residents Gopal Chhetri and his wife Simran Thapa also perished in the disaster, alongside their neighbour Chandrani Rai.

The loss of life underscores the brutal power of nature unleashed by the monsoon.

Connectivity across the region has been crippled. National Highway 55 (NH-55), the lifeline connecting Siliguri to Darjeeling via Mirik, has been rendered impassable at multiple points, including Gayabari, Rongtong, and the infamous Paglajhora.

Similarly, National Highway 10 (NH-10), which links Sevoke to Kalimpong, is completely blocked, isolating the towns further. This extensive damage to the road network has severely hampered rescue and relief operations, making it exceedingly difficult to reach affected areas and evacuate those in peril.

Beyond the immediate landslides, the region's rivers, including the Teesta and Mahananda, are flowing at dangerous levels, swollen by the torrential rains.

This has heightened fears of further flooding and erosion, exacerbating the already dire situation. Authorities and disaster response teams are working tirelessly, battling adverse weather conditions and challenging terrain to clear debris, restore essential services, and provide assistance to the displaced.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has expressed profound concern, announcing her intention to visit Darjeeling to assess the situation firsthand.

Relief camps have been swiftly established to accommodate hundreds of people who have been evacuated from high-risk areas, offering them temporary shelter, food, and medical aid. The immediate focus remains on search and rescue, ensuring the safety of residents, and working towards the monumental task of restoring connectivity and rebuilding shattered communities in the wake of this devastating natural disaster.