NEW DELHI: At least 70 people have been killed in India’s Darjeeling region and neighbouring Nepal after torrential rain triggered flash floods and landslides, sweeping away homes, roads, and bridges, authorities said on Monday.
In Nepal, the death toll from floods and landslides has risen to 50, with the eastern district of Ilam—bordering India—accounting for 37 fatalities, according to a spokesperson for the Armed Police Force.
Hundreds of people die every year in landslides and flash floods that are common in mostly mountainous Nepal during the monsoon season, which normally starts in mid-June and continues through mid-September.
Across the border in India’s West Bengal state, at least 18 people have died in Darjeeling, with several others still missing, local government officials reported on Monday.
Relief and recovery efforts are underway, though authorities warned the death toll may rise as information continues to emerge from remote areas.
“Two iron bridges have collapsed, several roads are damaged and flooded, and large areas of land have been inundated,” said West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in a post on X.
She noted that the districts of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, and Alipurduar—regions known for their tea plantations—are among the worst affected. A total of 23 deaths have been reported across northern West Bengal since the weekend.
H.R. Biswas, head of the regional weather office in Kolkata, said more rain is expected following the weekend’s “extremely heavy” downpours in Darjeeling.
The Himalayan hill town of Darjeeling, a popular tourist destination known for its tea and panoramic views of Mount Kanchenjunga—the world’s third-highest peak—has been severely impacted. Chief Minister Banerjee urged tourists to remain in place until they can be safely evacuated.
Highway traffic was interrupted as part of an iron bridge over the Balason River linking the city of Siliguri in the plains with the hill town of Mirik collapsed due to heavy rain.
A local disaster management official reported that large amounts of debris have blocked roads, making it difficult for rescue teams to access many remote areas.
