State Inter Agency Group ––– WEST BENGAL
Sit Rep-1: Darjeeling - Kampong Hills Land Slide and Flash Flood 30 th June and 1 st July 2015
Background:
Incessant and heavy rainfall caused tremendous damage to the hills of Darjeeling. After the earthquake that hit Nepal on the 25 th of May 2015 with more than 300 aftershocks – each being felt in the neighbouring hills of Darjeeling had already opened up splits and cracks in the ever vulnerable region. Now, on the night of 30 th of June 2015, the cracks and splits gave way to huge landslides taking away life, land, property and overall, the peace of mind.
After continuous spell of rain, over the past weeks Darjeeling witnessed landslide on yesterday July 1st 2015. This was one of the major kinds of devastation in the recent past in the district. The areas of Mirik, Lava, Kalingpong, Sukhia, Gorubathan was among the places which were worst hit. The landslide in Bichgaon in Mirik’s Tingling, which was the worst affected. Tingling is a tea garden and most affected are tea garden workers.
As on 3 rd July 2015 the highest number of deaths has been reported from Tingling where at least eight houses swept away and 12 bodies were found dead. Seven are untraceable. Local administration, community and army are in search of people who are trapped under the landslide and are untraceable.
Aftermath
• Relief and rehabilitation has also stopped as major connecting roads leading to these places are blocked due to landslide. Rohini Road and Pankhabari Road between Darjeeling and Siliguri are open. • A bridge has washed away at Raptikhola but Mirik Road can be accessed by a detour. NH55 is blocked since landslips in 2010. NH10, which leads to Kalimpong and Sikkim, is blocked, and also the Damdim-Lava Road, which is an alternative to NH10. • Hotels bookings and tourist bookings has been cancelled because of the incident. • The North Bengal Flood Control Commission has issued a red (secondary) alert in the unprotected areas (places without embankments) on the banks of the Teesta from Gazoldoba (near the Teesta Barrage) to Mekhliganj (where the river enters Bangladesh). • The Jalpaiguri district administration has engaged civil defense volunteers for rescue and relief operations in the flooded areas and officials are apprehensive of more places getting inundated as heavy to very heavy rain has been forecast in sub-Himalayan north Bengal in the next 48 hours.
1 C/o Church's Auxiliary for social Action (CASA)5 Russell Street, Kolkata - 700 071 West Bengal, Telephone: +91 33 2226 8206/ 2249 8187 Fax : +91 33 2226 5590, email : [email protected]
State Inter Agency Group ––– WEST BENGAL
Response from Government and Humanitarian Agencies
Government has taken major steps in deploying
• The NDRF/SDRF is deployed for immediate relief and rescue in the affected areas. • Two NDRF teams, comprising around 100 personnel, have also been dispatched for rescue operations in landslide-hit areas of Kurseong, Kalimpong and Darjeeling sub-divisions of the district. • Army State Police and Civil Administration.Directed administration to make safety of human beings first priority while conducting rescue operations.
• Local hospitals are informed to keep basic and emergency medicine and materials ready.
• Government is directed for establishing shelter camps for the affected families and providing food, medicines and other items of requirement to them. At least 2,000 people have been rescued and sheltered in 10 camps set up by the state government. Rescue and relief remain a huge challenge, given the forecast of rain. • Schools and colleges remained closed for indefinite period.
• Chief Minister of West Bengal Miss Mamata Banerjee has announced 6 lakhs compensation for the families who has lost their love ones and 1.25 for those injured. Prime Minister has announced Rs 2 lakhs compensation for those who died in the incident.
• BDO and SDO have been asked to report the incident and make necessary arrangements as per needed.
• Local NGO’s have come forward and asked youth volunteers to come forward and help the community who are badly affected. Need for food, clothing, shelter, blanket, medicine and water is available on voluntary basis who would like to help the community in time of distress.
• Siliguri Gorkha Manch has provided for services of voluntary medical aid for those who are affected in the land slide.
Confirmed casualties so far (1st July 2015, 08:00 pm)
• 24 people have been confirmed dead in Tingling Tea Estate
• 8 people have been confirmed dead in Mirik Town area
• 2 deaths have been confirmed from Lava, Kalimpong. One of them is a class 9 student studying at Lava High School
• 4 people reported missing in Kolakham of Kalimpong as their house was swept away by a landslide. As per reports by Mr. Pius Tamang and Mr. Kamal Lepcha of Anugyalaya DDSSS, no attempts have been made so far in order to search for the missing people due to lack of access to the landslide hit area. Some news has confirmed the death of 4 people.
• 5 more people in Kolakham have been hospitalized.
• 1 death has been confirmed in Dalep village, Kalimpong
2 C/o Church's Auxiliary for social Action (CASA)5 Russell Street, Kolkata - 700 071 West Bengal, Telephone: +91 33 2226 8206/ 2249 8187 Fax : +91 33 2226 5590, email : [email protected]
State Inter Agency Group ––– WEST BENGAL
Road Communication
Road from Kalimpong to Lava and Lava to Gorubathan / Siliguri has been completely cut off with minimum chances of immediate repair
Road from Darjeeling to Siliguri is vulnerable as landslides are occurring constantly though efforts are being made to clear the debrises immediately
Gitdubling village is completely cut off from main town Kalimpong. Robert Lepcha, Christofer Lepcha and Anil Lepcha from Anugyalaya are doing the immediate survey but the Organization has not been able to establish contact with them due to power cuts.
Coordination
• State Inter Agency Group West Bengal is taking update on the situation along with Principal Secretary, Department of Disaster Management. • Real time situation is monitoring through Whatsapp – IAG Group where Department of Disaster Management is also updating on the status. • IAG Coordination meeting will be held at CASA Kolkata Office on 3 rd July 2015 at 2 p.m. • As on the situation, members (of affected areas) are not in the position to hold a meeting in North Bengal, therefore teleconference and whatsapp will be organized to receive more information during meeting.
Photo Courtesy:
Some photographs taken by different sources in the areas of disaster are attached herewith. The reports and photographs are only of 30th June and 1st July 2015
Sources of Information:
Anugyalaya DDSSS, CASA, Jalpaiguri CDHI, PRISM, HSWS, SRUDS, WBPA, Rural Aid, Darjeeling NGO Network and individuals Report Prepared by:
Secretariat West Bengal State IAG On 2 nd July 2015 at 12 noon
3 C/o Church's Auxiliary for social Action (CASA)5 Russell Street, Kolkata - 700 071 West Bengal, Telephone: +91 33 2226 8206/ 2249 8187 Fax : +91 33 2226 5590, email : [email protected]
State Inter Agency Group ––– WEST BENGAL
Photographs:
4 C/o Church's Auxiliary for social Action (CASA)5 Russell Street, Kolkata - 700 071 West Bengal, Telephone: +91 33 2226 8206/ 2249 8187 Fax : +91 33 2226 5590, email : [email protected]