• Landslides block NH 10 in West Bengal’s Kalimpong; heavy rain to continue, warns IMD
    Indian Express | 6 August 2024
  • Heavy rain on Monday caused new landslides to completely block National Highway 10 near the 39-mile marker in West Bengal’s Kalimpong district. This disrupted traffic between Kalimpong and Siliguri, inconvenienced commuters, and affected essential supplies to Sikkim.

    Overall, the situation in northern Bengal remained critical due to heavy rains and landslides, with National Highway 10 bearing the brunt of the damage.

    Due to the road closure, vehicles were rerouted through Lava and Ponbu. This was a temporary solution, as the highway had been affected by landslides over the past month. A recent collapse of a road section had made the situation worse.

    The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for heavy rain in northern Bengal, including the Kalimpong, Alipurduar, and Jalpaiguri districts. A low-pressure system over Gangetic West Bengal and a low-pressure axis extending from Bangladesh to northeast Bihar were affecting the region.

    The IMD also issued a yellow alert for light to moderate rain with thundershowers in several southern districts of West Bengal. However, heavy rain was predicted for these areas from Tuesday onwards.

    The continuous rain also raised concerns about further landslides and damage to crops in northern Bengal. The administration was alerted to take necessary precautions.

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