Rain floods Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri

A water-logged street at Paharpur in Jalpaiguri Sadar block on Tuesday. Picture by Biplab Basak

TT, June 21: Over 2,000 houses in Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri have been marooned as rains lashed the two districts in the past 24 hours.

Irrigation department sources said Banarhat in Jalpaiguri had received 335mm of rain since yesterday afternoon.

While Hasimara received 208mm of rain, Alipurduar got 175.4mm. Jalpaiguri recorded 129.4mm, Nagrakata got 135mm and in Neora, the rainfall was 138.5mm in the past 24 hours.

A yellow alert has been sounded in the unprotected areas along the Teesta.

Such an alert is issued when water in a river touches the "flood level". A red alert is issued when the water rises to the "high flood level. The levels are specific to each river.

According to the forecast, heavy shower is expected in the Dooars and Bhutan hills - where most Dooars rivers originate - in the next 24 hours.

Superintendent engineer, irrigation department, north zone, Shubhankar Chakraborty, said areas like Banarhat and Hasimara were classified as "critical rainfall zones".

A source in the India Metereological Department said: "These areas are prone to heavy rains as they are close to the Bhutan hills. Sometimes the areas get over 200mm of rain in a day. Anything above that can cause flooding and damage to life and property."

With incessant rains in the hills, water level in all the Dooars rivers was increasing rapidly and few might cross the danger mark overnight if the showers continue.

In Hasimara, 40km from Alipurduar town, a diversion road was washed away by the overflowing Bhola Nala earlier today, snapping links between Hasimara and Kalchini.

The PWD is constructing a culvert along a road between the two towns and a diversion had been created near the site. This morning, a motorcycle was recovered from near the washed out diversion road.

Of the 20 wards in Alipurduar municipality, eight are flooded. Some residents of wards 1, 5, 8, 11, 12, 15, 18 and 19 - all are close to the Kaljani river - have shifted to higher grounds. Tents have been erected for them at some places.

Alipurduar subdivisonal officer, Samiran Mandal, said: "The rivers are below the danger level now. But we are ready with the relief measures."

At Dalsinghpara in Alipurduar, the unprotected areas beside the Torsha river have been flooded.

A disaster management team in a flooded area near the Kaljani
river in Alipurduar. (Anirban Choudhury)

The irrigation department has sounded a yellow alert in the unprotected areas along the Teesta river.

In Jalpaiguri, thousands of people from Domohoni, Mekligunj and Basasura have been shifted to higher grounds. In ward 25 of the civic body, more than 400 people are isolated.

Councillor of ward 25, Parimal Malo Das, said: "The rescued people are being given necessary items and food."

Because of power failure, the Jalpaiguri irrigation office is not being able to upload updates on water level on the website, irrigation officer Shantanu Dhar said.

In Chapadanga, Binnaguri and Basusuba, around 1,000 people are marooned.

The Jalpaiguri Sadar subdivisional officer, Seema Haldar, said: "The water level is rising in the rivers. "