West Bengal floods: 24 dead, dozens missing as landslides devastate Darjeeling hills; Mirik cut off

North Bengal faced a devastating deluge over the weekend as relentless rainfall triggered flash floods and landslides, claiming 24 lives and leaving dozens missing. The hill station of Mirik suffered the worst, with a key bridge collapse isolating the town and surrounding villages.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday announced a compensation of ₹5 lakh each for the families of those who lost their lives in the North Bengal floods and landslides. She also declared that one member from each bereaved family will be offered a Special Home Guard’s job.

Thirteen bodies were recovered in Mirik, famed for Sumendu Lake and Kanchenjunga views, while ten others, including tourist Himadri Purkayet from Kolkata, remained unaccounted for by Sunday evening. Officials warned the toll could rise as rescue teams reach remote upper-hill areas.


Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief on social media: “Deeply pained by the loss of lives due to a bridge mishap in Darjeeling... The situation is being closely monitored in the wake of heavy rain and landslides. We are committed to providing all possible assistance.”

Bridges collapse, tourists and locals stranded

The downpour destroyed crucial infrastructure. An iron bridge over the Balasan river at Dudhia, the only direct route between Siliguri and Mirik, collapsed, while another bridge at Pulbazar was badly damaged, cutting off Thanaline and parts of Bijanbari.

Rohini Road, linking Darjeeling to the plains, caved in, and NH10, the lifeline to Sikkim, was shut at Chitrey. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway suspended operations indefinitely.

Flash floods turned post-Durga Puja holidays into a desperate fight for survival. Hundreds of tourists in Dooars, Kalimpong, and Darjeeling were stranded in resorts and wildlife zones.

“Water currents were so strong we had to form a human chain,” said Kolkata resident Priya Banerjee, who walked four hours before finding a vehicle. Others waded through waist-deep waters or were ferried on elephant backs. “We were stranded all day before forest officials brought elephants used for safaris to take us through flooded rivers to safer ground,” said Senjuti Ghosh from Kolkata.

Travel chaos also hit New Jalpaiguri station and Bagdogra airport, leaving tourists stranded. Darjeeling SP Praween Prakash advised, “Check advisories before venturing out.”

Government and rescue response

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee held an emergency virtual meeting with top officials, including Siliguri mayor Gautam Deb and GTA chief Anit Thapa, and said she would visit the disaster zone on Monday.

“Several areas in both north and south Bengal have been flooded due to sudden huge rain and excessive river waters from Bhutan and Sikkim,” she posted on X. “Rainfall exceeded 300mm in 12 hours last night. I convey my heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased and have ordered immediate assistance.”


Banerjee ordered the closure of all tourist sites in affected areas and released emergency helpline numbers from the Nabanna control room, assuring that rescue costs would be borne by the state.

Army units and NDRF teams joined state agencies in ongoing rescue and restoration operations. With the Mahananda, Jaldhaka, and Teesta rivers running above danger levels, elephants, rhinos, deer, and bison were seen fleeing submerged forests.

Darjeeling recorded 261 mm of rainfall in 24 hours from 8 am Saturday, classified as extremely heavy, while Cooch Behar logged 192 mm and Jalpaiguri 172 mm. Gajoldoba in Jalpaiguri reported 300 mm. The worst devastation was reported from Mirik, Jorebunglow, Maneybhanjang, Sukhiapokhri, and Falakata.

(With inputs from ToI's Roshan Gupta, Pinak Priya Bhattacharya & Tamaghna Banerjee)