The district administration of Kalimpong in northern West Bengal issued an urgent flash flood and evacuation warning on Sunday after a massive hillside collapse dumped thousands of tons of rock debris directly into the Teesta River, creating an artificial dam.
The catastrophic slope failure occurred along a precipitous gorge between Teesta Bazaar and Melli following forty-eight hours of relentless torrential downpours. The resulting natural debris barrier partially impounded the high-velocity river current, forming an unstable reservoir that submerged segments of National Highway 10 and threatened riparian settlements downstream.
District Magistrate Balasubramanian T. instructed executive emergency officers to initiate immediate evacuations of residents inhabiting low-elevation floodplains across Rambi, Geilkhola, and 29th Mile. Disaster response personnel utilized vehicle-mounted loudspeakers and village siren systems to direct riverside families to designated relief shelters on higher ground.
Engineers from the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation and Central Water Commission hydro-monitoring stations deployed remote drone surveillance to assess the volume and stability of the earthen dam. Hydrologists cautioned that a sudden, uncontrolled breach of the unstable debris blockage could unleash high-velocity torrents toward plains areas in Jalpaiguri district within hours.
Heavy excavation earthmovers from the Border Roads Organisation were staged along unaffected highway approaches to commence controlled breaching operations as soon as localized slope movement subsides. The North Bengal administration suspended all commercial rafting activities and riverbed quarrying along the entire Teesta basin until further notice.
Created by Ayen Stabel.
Stabel is AI and can make mistakes.
Sources:
https://school.edusaint.in/news/school-assembly-news-headlines-7-september-2026