The absence of persistent rainfall across the Sikkim and Darjeeling hills and north Bengal foothills since Wednesday late evening led to improvement of the situation on Thursday helping the administration and different social organisations to focus on restoration works.

However, NH10, the principal highway that connects Sikkim and Kalimpong with the rest of the country, remained closed as the road cave-in at Birick Dara or 21th Mile — a stretch on the route — is yet to be repaired.

“The NH division of state PWD has started road restoration work at the site through back-cutting (cutting the hillside to create a road for vehicles). We are keeping a watch over the situation but it would take at least four to five days to restore a single lane for goods vehicles,” said a senior police officer of Kalimpong district.

According to administration sources, Kalimpong district has borne most of the damage during the past two days when an extremely heavy downpour occurred in the hills and in adjoining areas of the plains.

An excavator cuts through the rocks to create space for vehicles to cross a stretch where a portion of the road has caved in at the 21th Mile on NH10 on Thursday. Passang Yolmo

“Altogether 46 landslides occurred across Kalimpong district. This clearly indicates the extent of damage,” said a source.

Though NH10 continued to remain closed, sources said a caved-in road has been restored by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) at Sherpagaon near Gorubathan through which goods vehicles can go to Sikkim.

“Since certain stretches of the alternative roads are narrow, separate routes have been fixed for movements of goods vehicles,” the source added.

However, on Thursday, no fresh landslide was reported in the hills. In Darjeeling district, most of the roads have been restored and repair works of damaged houses and other buildings have started, said administration officials.

Tourists anxiously check out the bus at Bhanu Bhakta Chowk near the Tenzing Norgay Central Bus Terminus in Siliguri on Thursday. Passang Yolmo

In the plains, water levels of rivers like Teesta, Torsha, Jaldhaka, Balason and Mahananda have receded, prompting people to start returning to their homes.

Around 70,000 people, who stay along the banks of these rivers in the districts of Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar and Cooch Behar, had shifted to safer places as the rivers had swelled due to the intense downpour and had flooded their localities.

Meanwhile, in Alipurduar district, bodies of two minor sisters of Chotomechiabusty in Jaigaon under Kalchini block, who had gone missing from the bank of the swollen Torsha river on Wednesday, were recovered on Thursday.

“It is an unfortunate incident. We will hand over due compensation to the family. All assistance has been provided for their last rites,” said Prasanta Barman, the block development officer of Kalchini.