As Darjeeling strives to stabilize itself after the impact of the landslide, triggered due to heavy rain that claimed 9 lives, and washed away roads and bridges on Sunday, North Bengal has been put on high alert. According to Bhutan authorities, the Tala Hydropower Dam overflowed due to a technical failure, and it can potentially lead to downstream flooding in the Dooars region of WesT Bengal.
Authorities in Bhutan have alerted the West Bengal government to prepare for eventualities. Meanwhile, the National Centre for Hydrology and Meteorology (NCHM), Bhutan, confirmed that a malfunction was reported in the dam gates, which didn’t open, causing river water to spill out. Following the caution, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) in Alipurduar has been placed on ‘highest alert level’.
The Meteorological outlook indicates that a storm system that looms over eastern Uttar Pradesh is drawing near Madarihat in the Dooars. If torrential rains lash Bhutan’s hills, rivers in North Bengal will likely swell, heightening the risk of flash floods.
Officials have been directed to coordinate with Bhutanese authorities to obtain updated hydrological data, which will help mitigate possible impacts. Meanwhile, the NDRF has deployed multiple teams to Darjeeling’s Mirik area.
NDRF Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Mohsen Shahedi told ANI that a total of 5 teams from Darjeeling, Siliguri, Alipurduar, Malda, and Kolkata have been mobilised to the affected sites. “Our personnel are engaged in intensive rescue and relief operations to locate missing persons and assist the stranded villagers,” Shahedi said.
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