• Red alert for heavy rainfall issued for 3 districts in north Bengal, water level in rivers to rise further
    Indian Express | 10 July 2024
  • The Meteorological Department on Monday issued a red alert (heavy to very heavy rainfall) for three districts – Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri, and Cooch Behar – and said that the north Bengal region is likely to receive heavy rainfall for the next four to five days leading to rise in the water level of rivers that could trigger flood.

    “There is the possibility of heavy rainfall over north Bengal which is likely to intensify from July 10,” Met officials said.

    “It is feared that the water level of rivers like Teesta, Torsa, and Jaldhaka may rise further. Already, several rivers in North Bengal are flowing above the danger level,” said an official.

    In the hill districts of Kalimpong and Darjeeling, heavy rainfall may trigger more landslides.

    The National Highway 10, connecting Sikkim with the rest of the country remained closed on Monday. “Some portions of the roads have been damaged due to torrential rains and repair work is going on… The highway has collapsed at various places along the Teesta,” said an administrative official.

    The Met office said the situation was unlikely to change in the next four to five days as it attributed the rain to a cyclonic circulation over west-central Bay of Bengal off south the coast of Andhra Pradesh.

    In the remaining parts of the state, light to moderate rain will continue.

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