Himalayan region hit by heavy rainfall, flooding in Dooars
The Statesman | 3 July 2024
Due to continuous rainfall in the Himalayan region, several rivers in the Dooars area are overflowing and a few have even burst their banks, leading to flooding in low-lying areas.
In the Malbazar block in Jalpaiguri, places like Bagrakote and a nearby village have been flooded by the Lis river, which experienced heavy rain in its catchment area last night.
The main road connecting Darjeeling and Siliguri, known as Rohini Marg, was blocked by landslides this morning but was eventually cleared by authorities after a few hours of effort.
Moreover, excessive precipitation in the Sevoke Hill region has resulted in the Coronation Bridge, a crucial route over the Teesta river, being flooded.
In response to these events, the Himalayan Hospitality and Tourism Development Network (HHTDN) has called for a geological survey to be conducted to protect national highway 10. According to members of the organization, changes in the course of the Teesta river since a disaster in neighbouring Sikkim have resulted in frequent damage to the national highway, causing significant problems for tourism and communication between Bengal and Sikkim. HHTDN’s leader Samrat Sanyal stated that a permanent solution is needed and called for a geological survey to be carried out by experts. The organization has already begun taking action on this issue and plans to inform the state’s chief minister, along with the Prime Minister and chief minister of Sikkim through written communication.