Sikkim landslides damaged 30 homes, washed away two houses and disrupted road and rail connectivity across parts of Sikkim and the Darjeeling hills after incessant rain over 24 hours, officials said on Friday. No casualties had been reported in the affected village of Rimbi in Gyalshing district, but relief teams were yet to assess the full damage to homes, property and livestock.
Rimbi, in the Yuksom subdivision and around 120km from Gangtok, was hit by multiple landslides early Friday morning. Officials said the latest slide was believed to have followed an earlier landslide on August 13, after which the district administration evacuated around 35 families from the affected area.
“The landslide changed its course and entered the village today,” a source said. The change in the slide’s path brought the debris into the settlement and damaged the houses. Officials said the extent of the destruction would be assessed after relief teams reached the affected area.
Sikkim chief minister Prem Singh Tamang, also known as Golay, expressed concern over the situation and directed authorities to remain on high alert, monitor developments and take all possible measures to ensure public safety. Tshering T. Bhutia, the local MLA, visited the site with administrative officials and met affected residents.
“We have apprised the chief minister of the situation and all necessary assistance will be provided to the affected people,” Bhutia said. He asked residents to remain vigilant and avoid unnecessary movement during night hours because of the prevailing landslide situation.
The rain also disrupted road connectivity in Sikkim. A landslide at Bardang, around 35km from Gangtok, affected direct road connectivity between Rangpo and Gangtok along National Highway 10. The highway is a key route linking Sikkim with the plains and interruptions on the corridor can affect the movement of residents, supplies and services.
In the Darjeeling hills, a landslide on National Highway 110 near Mahanadi in the Kurseong subdivision affected traffic. Debris also accumulated on the tracks of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, prompting the suspension of toy train services between New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling from Friday morning.
Officials said debris came down on NH110 and blocked the railway tracks around 9am. The local administration and the state public works department worked for nearly two hours to clear the debris, but railway authorities decided to suspend regular toy train services. “We will decide on the resumption of toy train services after assessing the affected site,” an official said.
A wall at the Takdah block primary health centre in Darjeeling district also collapsed during the torrential rain. Nirmal Tamang, a resident of Jinglam village in the Rangli-Rangliot block, was injured in the incident and later shifted to Darjeeling district hospital, where he was receiving treatment.
Rainfall remained heavy across the region. In the 24 hours up to Friday morning, Darjeeling recorded 188mm of rain, Kalimpong 113mm, Siliguri 84mm, and Kurseong and Mirik around 75mm. In Sikkim, Soreng recorded 120mm and Gyalshing 77mm.
The India Meteorological Department has forecast very heavy rainfall in Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Kalimpong and Alipurduar districts over the next 24 hours. A weather expert said parts of north Bengal and Sikkim could receive around 200mm of rain, accompanied by gusty winds and thunderstorms. Authorities are continuing to monitor the affected locations and will assess the damage before deciding on further relief and transport measures.
