West Bengal

IIE DIGITAL DESK ; Siliguri, June 19: Record-breaking rainfall on Thursday night triggered flash floods across the plains and hills of North Bengal, creating a severe crisis in several regions. The sudden rise in the water levels of the hill rivers led to a dangerous situation, and the powerful surge of the Balason River washed away the temporary Himpipe bridge at Dudhia. As a result, the direct road route connecting Siliguri to Darjeeling via Mirik has been completely cut off. Residents of Mirik are now forced to take a much longer route through Ghum to travel to Siliguri.

The Alipore Meteorological Department, extremely heavy rainfall was recorded within a short span of time on Thursday night. Between 8:00 pm and 10:30 pm, Mirik received 63 millimetres of rainfall, while Kurseong recorded an extraordinary 113 millimetres. The massive volume of water flowing down from the hills entered the Balason River, causing the Dudhia diversion route and the temporary bridge structure to be completely washed away.

The situation in the plains has also become highly alarming. During the same period, Siliguri recorded a massive 246 millimetres of rainfall. The unprecedented downpour caused the Mahananda River and several smaller rivers and streams flowing through the city to swell dangerously. The water level of the Mahananda is currently flowing just below the danger mark, raising concerns among residents and authorities.

It may be recalled that during the devastating floods in October last year, the third pillar of the original Balason Bridge suffered severe damage. Following instructions from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the temporary Himpipe bridge was constructed on an emergency basis to restore connectivity and help residents cope with the disaster. However, due to the unpredictable nature of the hill river, the temporary structure has repeatedly collapsed whenever the river experiences a sharp rise in water level, causing major disruption to daily life and transportation.

At present, repair work cannot be initiated because of the extremely strong current of the Balason River. The Irrigation Department and the Public Works Department are closely monitoring the evolving situation. The administration has stated that restoration work on the Dudhia diversion will begin on a war footing as soon as the river’s flow decreases, with the aim of restoring normal communication and transportation links as quickly as possible.

The natural disaster has once again highlighted the vulnerability of temporary infrastructure in the face of extreme weather conditions in the Himalayan foothill region. Authorities remain on alert as continued rainfall and rising river levels may pose further challenges in the coming days.