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More than 40 villagers displaced by a devastating landslide in Darjeeling have taken shelter at a relief camp organised at a community hall in Mirik, officials said on Monday.
Rajan Chhetri, one of the affected villagers, shared the harrowing experience of losing family members and his home. "Everything has been destroyed in my house... We were 18 people, four people lost their lives in the incident... We told the BDO (Block Development Office) to make a drain... He did not do anything... I will have to make a house... How will I take the loan?" he said. Another villager, Manoj Rai, appealed to the government for assistance in rebuilding his home. "There is a pile of mud and stones in my house... I request the government to make a home for us..." he said. The relentless rain over the weekend triggered flash floods and landslides in Darjeeling and surrounding areas of West Bengal. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) on Sunday conducted rescue operations in flood-affected areas and evacuated over 160 people. According to officials, 105 people were rescued by boats, while another 55 were evacuated via zip lines in Jalpaiguri. President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the loss of lives caused by the heavy rains and landslides. President Murmu posted on X, "The tragic loss of lives due to heavy rain and landslides in Darjeeling, West Bengal, is distressing. I express my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I pray for the success of rescue and relief operations and wish a speedy recovery to those injured." PM Modi also posted, "Deeply pained by the loss of lives due to a bridge mishap in Darjeeling... The situation is being closely monitored in the wake of heavy rain and landslides. We are committed to providing all possible assistance." Continuous rainfall on Saturday and Sunday caused large-scale destruction in parts of the Darjeeling district, particularly in Mirik and Sukhia Pokhari, where roads and houses have been washed away. Landslides have also disrupted connectivity on several key rural routes, hampering access to relief operations. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee held an emergency virtual meeting and announced that she would visit the disaster-hit areas today. "Several areas in both north and south Bengal have been flooded due to sudden huge rain and excessive river waters from Bhutan and Sikkim," Banerjee posted on X. "Rainfall exceeded 300mm in 12 hours last night. I convey my heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased and have ordered immediate assistance," she added. In another post, the Chief Minister said, "There was simultaneously an excessive flow of water into the Sankosh river and a general flow of river waters from Bhutan and Sikkim. This caused disasters. We have been shocked and saddened to know that we have lost some brothers and sisters in the situation evolved by huge rainfall and river floods. I convey my heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased and shall send all assistance to the families immediately." (ANI)
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