Teesta River flooding, landslides disrupt key routes to Sikkim & Kalimpong

REZA PRADHAN

DARJEELING,: NH-10, the crucial highway linking Sikkim and Kalimpong to the plains, was closed on Tuesday morning after the Teesta River overflowed onto the roadway. A similar situation was reported on the route connecting these areas to Darjeeling.

The water level of the Teesta began receding around 12 noon, allowing authorities to reopen the highway. However, a massive traffic jam followed, with several vehicles stuck for hours since morning.

According to locals, the Teesta River had started swelling from last night due to heavy rainfall in North Sikkim. In response, police issued precautionary warnings in areas such as Melli, Teesta Bazar, and Rangpo, advising residents in riverside villages to remain alert and take safety measures.

By early morning, the river had already breached the roadside in areas like Rabi Jhora, 29th Mile on NH-10, and near the Teesta Bridge at Teesta Bazar, cutting off access between Kalimpong, Sikkim, and Darjeeling. Both stretches remained closed until water levels subsided and silt and debris brought in by the river were cleared from the road.

In a separate incident, a landslide was reported around 9:30 a.m. at Tarkhola, between Chitrey and Rangpo. Debris and boulders falling from the hillside blocked the road. The National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. (NHIDCL) has been working to clear the blockage and is expected to reopen the road by this evening.

In Darjeeling, landslides were also reported on roads connecting Lodhama 1 GP to Lodhama 2 GP, and on the road from Lingsebung to Mummung Khola in the Rimbick–Lodhama constituency. These routes have been closed due to falling debris and boulders.