Multiple landslides due to heavy rain have resulted in the closing of a stretch of a national highway that connects Sikkim with Darjeeling district of West Bengal, resulting in massive traffic jams on Wednesday.
According to news agency ANI, incessant rainfall led to multiple landslides on National Highway 31 and National Highway 10 near Sevoke in Darjeeling. The National Highway (NH)-10 connects Sikkim's capital Gangtok to Kalimpong district and Siliguri town.
According to reports, the incessant rainfall, starting on Monday, led to several landslides in a large part between Sevoke police station and Sevokeshwari Kali Bari disrupting vehicular movement on the connecting stretch. Road communication was completely cut off between Sikkim and Kalimpong-Dooars region.
For three days in a row multiple landslides were witnessed near 29th Mile on NH-10. No vehicles were allowed to ply on NH-10 and NH-31. Road repair work was also hampered owing to the rainy spell.
Heavy downpour lashed over the hills, as well as the Terai region on the foothills of the eastern Himalayas, causing a flood-like situation in several areas of Alipurduar, Cooch Behar and Jalpaiguri district as well.
(Inputs from Agency)
