West Bengal

IIE DIGITAL DESK ; Jalpaiguri, August 1: Continuous rainfall since Saturday morning has left large parts of Jalpaiguri submerged under water, severely disrupting normal life across the town. Heavy showers over just a few hours resulted in widespread waterlogging in most of the roads spread across all 25 wards of the Jalpaiguri Municipality, creating major inconvenience for residents and commuters. The flooding of streets and low-lying areas has affected daily activities, while people have been forced to endure significant hardship due to the deteriorating conditions.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD), nearly 95 mm of rainfall was recorded in Jalpaiguri up to Saturday morning. The intense downpour caused water to accumulate rapidly on major roads, residential streets, and low-lying localities. In several neighbourhoods, rainwater reached the entrances of residential buildings, raising concerns among local residents about further flooding if the rainfall continues.

Residents expressed strong dissatisfaction over the city's drainage infrastructure, alleging that even moderate rainfall regularly leads to severe waterlogging in different parts of Jalpaiguri. They claimed that despite repeated incidents over the years, the municipal authorities have failed to implement any long-term and effective solution to improve the drainage system and prevent urban flooding during the monsoon season.

Continuous rainfall has also led to a sharp rise in the water levels of the Teesta and Karala rivers. The Irrigation Department has reported that the water level of the Teesta River near the Mekhliganj area has increased considerably, prompting the authorities to issue a Yellow Alert as a precautionary measure.

The district administration and irrigation officials are closely monitoring the evolving flood situation and have urged people living along the riverbanks to remain vigilant. Residents in vulnerable and low-lying areas have been advised to stay alert and follow official instructions in view of the possibility of further rises in river water levels if heavy rainfall persists.

Officials said that emergency response teams are keeping a close watch on the overall situation, while necessary preparedness measures have been put in place to respond promptly in case conditions worsen. The administration has assured that all concerned departments remain on alert to deal with any emergency arising from continued rainfall or a further increase in river levels.

The prevailing weather conditions have once again highlighted the recurring problem of urban flooding in Jalpaiguri during the monsoon season. With more rainfall forecast for the region, both civic authorities and disaster management agencies are maintaining heightened vigilance to minimize the impact on public life and ensure the safety of residents living in flood-prone areas.