DARJEELING,: As heavy rainfall continued for the third day, more landslides were reported from different parts of the Hills today. National Highway 10 (NH 10), the lifeline connecting Kalimpong and Sikkim to the rest of the country, has also been shut down.
Kalimpong district officials closed the NH 10 for vehicular traffic in the afternoon as massive boulders continued to fall at Birick Dara and 28th Mile. Vehicles were moving along the highway until 11 am, when the route was swiftly closed after the falling boulders blocked the highway at Birick Dara. A police official stationed there was also reportedly injured.
Later in the evening, a major mudslide completely blocked the highway in the Birik Dara. Falling of boulders was also reported at 28th Mile and other areas.
District Magistrate Balasubramanian T. said, "Boulders have been falling in different places along the highway, so the road has been closed for safety reasons. Rainfall is expected to continue for some more days, so we advise people to use alternative routes instead of the Highway.”
By 3:30 pm, a portion of the road at Adheri Jhora near Kalijhora collapsed, further preventing the movement of heavy vehicles. The Kalimpong-Sikkim road also saw severe disruptions with a landslide at Gariri Jhora near Melli Bazaar forcing vehicles to take the Mungpoo route. Meanwhile, the rising waters of River Teesta began to overflow onto the Teesta Bazaar road, prompting the closure of the Kalimpong-Darjeeling route.
In Darjeeling, landslides struck several areas including Dhotrey in Rimbick-Lodhama and Bijanbari-Darjeeling road, causing major blockages. Efforts are underway to clear these roadways. A landslide on Lebong Cart Road near St. Joseph's College partially blocked the route, though traffic resumed soon after. Tungsung Road, also impacted by landslides, was temporarily closed but has since been cleared.
In Mirik, a house in Thorbu was damaged by a landslide on Thursday night. Another home in Bhalukhop, Kalimpong also suffered damage due to a landslide.