West Bengal rain alert: Darjeeling landslide, heavy rain forecast till Saturday

A depression over interior Odisha and an active monsoon brought very heavy rain to sub-Himalayan West Bengal, triggering landslides in Darjeeling district, as the IMD forecast more downpours across several parts of the state till Saturday.

A landslide around 3 am affected Takdah Rural Hospital in Darjeeling district, slightly injuring a patient's relative, district magistrate Harishankar Panicker said on Friday.

Speaking to PTI over phone, he said none of the patients was injured in the incident, and they were shifted to the district hospital shortly afterwards.


The DM said landslides also took place at some other places in Darjeeling district, but the debris was cleared quickly and most roads remained open to traffic.

Darjeeling recorded 153 mm rainfall in 24 hours till 8.30 am on Friday, the highest in the state, while neighbouring Kalimpong received 113 mm, according to IMD data.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall in Darjeeling district till Saturday morning and heavy rain thereafter till Sunday.

Similar weather conditions are likely in Kalimpong and Jalpaiguri, it said.

The Met department warned of possible landslides in Darjeeling and Kalimpong due to the heavy rain.

The weather office also forecast heavy rainfall in the western districts of Purulia, Bankura, Paschim Bardhaman, Birbhum, Purba Medinipur, Paschim Medinipur and Jhargram till Saturday morning.

Siliguri recorded 84 mm rainfall, followed by Bagdogra (80 mm), Medinipur (74 mm), Kalaikunda (54 mm) and Purulia (56 mm), according to data.

Kolkata recorded 36 mm rainfall during the period, while neighbouring Dum Dum received 32 mm, it said.