Incessant rain across sub-Himalayan Bengal triggered landslides in Buxa hills, Alipurduar district, snapping connectivity between hamlets near Buxa fort with Santalabari, the last motorable road that connects the hills.
Rain caused a number of streams and rivers in the district to swell, damaging bridges and roads.On Saturday, the Met office said it rained 350mm in Buxa in a span of 24 hours till 8.30am.
From then to Sunday 8.30am, the figure was 120mm. Though rainfall reduced, its sustained impact early on Sunday caused five landslides in and around Buxa hills, on the 3km stretch that connects the Buxa fort with Santalabari, Buxa view point, Sadar Bazar, Daragaon, Khatta Line and Lepchakha.
“Landslides blocked roads and damaged water pipelines,” said Indra Bahadur Thapa of Sadar Bazar.Goborjyoti, a stream in Beebari, Jaigaon, near the India-Bhutan border, eroded away a part of the approach road to its bridge. Buses and trucks could not reach Jaigaon.
Movement of trucks via Pasakha in Bhutan on AH-48 has stopped since a stretch of the highway was damaged by mudflow on Friday, increasing worries for exporters.Holong, a stream that flows through Jaldapara National Park area, swelled and damaged the wooden bridge — the link to the tourist lodge — at Madarihat. Alipurduar DM Surendra Kumar Meena visited some affected locations, including Holong bridge, on Sunday.
“Workers have been engaged at all sites for restoration and repairs,” said Meena.Traffic along the Alipurduar-Falakata route has halted for the past three days as diversions were washed away by streams.
Vehicles are taking longer detours between Alipurduar and Falakata.In Mechiabusty of Alipurduar, four homes were damaged by Torsha river and 11 others left in a precarious state. Children missingReena Das, 12, of Falakata town in Alipurduar district, went missing after she fell into an overflowing pond in Collegepara on Sunday morning while playing with friends. Prithwish Roy, 10, of Harimandir of Dhupguri block in Jalpaiguri district, was swept away by Gilandi stream on Saturday morning. Both are still traceless.
