Kolkata / Gangtok: Heavy Rain triggered several landslides in the Bukit Bengal Barat district and the Sikkim Mountains on Wednesday, damaging the bridge, aware of the highway and threw a normal life of the track, officials of the two next country said.
National Highway 10, Jalan Arterial Links between West Bengal and Sikkim were blocked by massive landslides, while swollen rivers, including Teesta, villages were destroyed along the banks.
Heavy rains triggered landslides on the highway at 29 Mile in West Bengal, about 60 km from the border of Rangpo Sikkim, disturbing the movement of the vehicle.
Another landslide occurred in Pani House in Gangtok.
Excavators and other heavy machines have been deployed to clear the debris.
The steel bridge pillar in Rangso, the gateway to Sikkim, was damaged due to heavy water flow on the Teesta River which was in a series of recent days, encouraging authorities to only allow vehicles, officials said.
The rain pounding Darjeeling and Kalimpong District in West Bengal also side by side with Jalpaiguri where landslide incidents and damage to the bridge were reported.
Video recordings show the Turgid River overflowing their banks and sank the highway in Kalimpong.
The Meteorology Department issued a ‘red’ warning for Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Alipurduar, predicted “very heavy rain in one or two places” in these districts until Thursday morning.
Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar tended to receive heavy rain until very heavy during the period, he said.
Connectivity of the road in several places Kalimpong District, connecting the city of Kalimpong with Hamlets such as Pedong, Lava and Algara, flinched because landslides, officials said.
Water from the overflowing Teesta river beat national 10 highways connecting Siliguri with Sikkim Capital Gangtok in Teesta Bazar, disturbing the movement of the vehicle, they said.
A bridge on the River Balalas in Matigara on the outskirts of Siliguri in Darjeeling District was also damaged.
Police Commissioner Siliguri Gaurav Sharma said a larger vehicle was diverted to another route due to bridge damage, while only motorcyclists and pedestrians were allowed to use it.
“We urge people to make plans for a long trip to achieve their goals because of the transfer,” he told reporters.
Hundreds of tourists, who packed the hill during Durga Puja, faced difficulties reaching the train station and Bagdogra airport to go home, due to rain and landslides that were unrelenting.
Some lowland areas in the Jalpaiguri district have been flooded because they rise at the Teesta water level and Rivers Jaldhaka.
The number of people who are not determined from these areas is transferred to safe places, officials said.
Darjeeling received 233.8 mm rainfall, the highest in the state in 24 hours until 8:30 a.m.
on Wednesday, followed by Kalimpong (199 mm), Jalpaiguri (151 mm) and Cooch Behar (60.9 mm).
Torsa water level and several other rivers in this region rose quickly due to excessive rain.
The Meteorology department said bad weather conditions would apply in the sub-Himalaya district until Thursday morning.
Weather in the South Bengal District, which received heavy rain since October 17 because the low pressure system, increased rapidly on Wednesday, even though the Weatherman participants said the storm with lightning on one or two places of chance during the day.