West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday said she was “deeply worried and concerned” over the widespread devastation caused by torrential rain and landslides across Darjeeling, Kalimpong and other parts of North Bengal, which have left at least 19 people dead and several others missing. She added that she would visit the affected areas on Monday, along with the Chief Secretary, to take stock of the situation and oversee relief operations.
Mamata Banerjee said that both North and South Bengal had been affected by flooding due to sudden, intense rainfall and surging river waters flowing in from outside the state. “I am deeply worried and concerned that several areas in both North Bengal and South Bengal have been flooded due to sudden huge rains within a few hours last night as well as due to rush of excessive river waters in our State from outside,” she said taking to social media platform "X".
The Chief Minister said over 300 mm of rain was recorded in parts of North Bengal within just 12 hours on Saturday night, causing rivers such as the Sankosh to swell dangerously. Heavy inflows from Bhutan and Sikkim, she added, had worsened the flooding.
She expressed shock and grief over the loss of lives, offering condolences to the bereaved families. “We have been shocked and saddened to know that we have lost some brothers and sisters in the situation evolved by huge rainfall and river floods. I convey my heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased and shall send all assistance to the families immediately,” she said.
According to the Chief Minister, two iron bridges have collapsed, while roads and vast stretches of land in the districts of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, and Alipurduar have been severely affected. The worst-hit areas include Mirik, Matigara, and parts of Jalpaiguri, where several houses, tea garden quarters and infrastructure have been washed away.
Banerjee said she has been monitoring the situation round the clock since Saturday night, holding virtual meetings with senior officials including the Chief Secretary, the Director General of Police, District Magistrates, and Superintendents of Police from North Bengal. Public representatives such as Gautam Deb and Anit Thapa also attended the meeting.
In addition, Mamata Banerjee stated that she would personally visit North Bengal on Monday along with the Chief Secretary to assess the ground situation.
Advising tourists to remain calm, Mamata Banerjee assured that rescue and evacuation operations were underway. “We are advising the tourists in North Bengal to stay put where they are till our police evacuates them safely. Rescue costs are ours and tourists need not be anxious,” she said. She added that certain locations, particularly Mirik, had been hit more severely due to their geographical position, but every affected region was under intensive monitoring.
“State HQ and the districts are having 24×7 control rooms. Please connect my Nabanna Disaster Management Control Room at +91 33 2214 3526 and +91 33 2253 5185, while the Toll-Free Numbers are +91 86979 81070 and 1070,” said Mamata Banerjee.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has placed Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar, and Alipurduar under a red alert for extremely heavy rainfall until 6 October, warning of further landslides and flash floods.
