23 dead, several villages cut off as landslides hit North Bengal
Nonstop rain since October 4 has caused numerous landslides in West Bengal's Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts, leaving at least 23 people dead—including children—and cutting off several villages.
Roads and homes have been badly damaged, and while the rain is easing up now, officials warn that river levels could rise again if there is more rain in the Bhutan hills or further issues with Bhutan's Tala Dam.
Floods affect local infrastructure
The floods have hit local infrastructure hard: a wooden bridge collapse trapped 25 tourists at Jaldapara Tourist Lodge (all were rescued by October 6), and some farmers near Singimari river are still stranded.
Most areas are slowly recovering as floodwaters recede, but with more water possibly coming from upstream, everyone's staying alert.
As Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee noted, North Bengal received over 300mm of rain in just 12 hours—a reminder of how quickly things can change.