North Bengal landslides: Death toll climbs to 39 as rescuers reach remote areas

Kolkata: The death toll from the devastating landslides and heavy rainfall that struck the hills, Terai and Dooars regions of North Bengal has risen to 39, officials from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the district administrations of Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri said on Thursday.

Authorities fear the toll could increase further as rescue teams continue to reach remote and previously inaccessible areas.

A district administration official said the confirmed number of deaths stood at 36 as of Tuesday morning, with no new recoveries reported that day. “However, during the last 24 hours, three more bodies were found, thus taking the death figure to 39. Two of the three bodies recovered during the last 24 hours were carried by the flowing water of the Jaldhaka River,” the official said, adding that the newly recovered bodies are yet to be identified.

With weather conditions improving, relief and restoration efforts have accelerated. Several damaged roads have been repaired, and even popular trekking routes, including the Sandakphu trail, have been reopened for visitors.

Officials said the biggest challenge now is the full restoration of electricity in the hills. “Although electricity connections have been restored in certain pockets in the hills, the work has not been completed for a larger area. The officials of the state power department are working on a war footing to complete the full restoration process at the earliest,” an official said.

Meanwhile, a political row has erupted over Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s visit to the region earlier this week. Opposition parties have accused her of avoiding the worst-hit areas during her two-day tour and limiting her movement to relatively unaffected zones. The Trinamool Congress has not responded to the allegations.