500 tourists stuck in Darjeeling rescued; death toll rises to 28

The death toll in the North Bengal floods has climbed to 28, with five more deaths being reported on Monday (October 6, 2025) from Nagrakata in West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district. Of this number, 23 people were killed by landslides in the Darjeeling district on October 4 and October 5. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has blamed poor flood management by the Centre for the devastation.

The Chief Minister announced a compensation of ₹5 lakh on Monday to the next of kin of the deceased, as her government stepped up relief and rescue work in North Bengal, including Darjeeling. During the day, Ms. Banerjee and her Chief Secretary, Manoj Pant, travelled to North Bengal and inspected relief and rescue operations.

Around 500 tourists who were stranded in the Darjeeling hills were rescued by the West Bengal police and have been taken to Siliguri. Tourists stranded in the Dooars have also been evacuated by the West Bengal government. The Chief Minister has directed that tourists will not have to pay for hotels and transport, and all expenses will be borne by the West Bengal government.

Of the 23 deaths in Darjeeling, 11 people died in the Mirik subdivision and 12 deaths were reported from the Darjeeling Subdivision. Survivors from Mirik described how slush from landslides destroyed homes early on Sunday (October 5). The picturesque blue Mirik Lake that is a big tourist draw, has turned dark with slush. The area remains cut off, and bridges and roads have been badly damaged. Thousands of people have been affected by the landslides and flooding in Darjeeling and other districts of north Bengal, including Jalpaiguri, Aliourduar, and Cooch Behar.

Centre to blame

The Chief Minister pointed the finger of blame at the Centre and said that water from neighbouring states is causing flooding in West Bengal. She said the floods in North Bengal were “man made.” “North Bengal has been flooded with water from Bhutan and Sikkim. There was 300 mm of rain for 12 hours. Where will all this water go? We tolerate water from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand. How much more will we do?” Ms. Banerjee told media persons.

The Chief Minister added that water from Bhutan gushed in through the Sankosh River and water from the Teesta came down from Sikkim, flooding several areas of North Bengal. Ms. Banerjee once again blamed the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) and said that its reservoirs are releasing water at will, and said that flood management is nonexistent, and the Union government has not dredged the river Ganga either.

She asked what use dams were if water is released without holding. “Why do you need to have the dams? … All states could then have shared the impact equally. But it is Bengal that’s at the receiving end,” she said. She emphasised the need for an Indo-Bhutan River Commission and said that unless such an arrangement is made, North Bengal will suffer.

Temporary bridge

The Chief Minister will travel to Mirik on Tuesday (October 7). She has promised that a temporary bridge over the Balasan River will be constructed in the next twenty days. The Dudiya iron bridge over the Balasan collapsed after heavy rainfall on Sunday.

Meanwhile, a delegation of BJP leaders was attacked by locals when they were visiting Nagrakata in North Bengal. BJP MP Khagen Murmu suffered serious injuries to his head and face and had to be hospitalised. Siliguri MLA and party chief whip in the West Bengal assembly, Sankar Ghosh, was also attacked. While the BJP leadership both in Kolkata and Delhi condemned the attack, Ms. Banerjee urged restraint.

‘’Help the people around you. No untoward incident is desirable at this time. We will stand by each other and face this crisis together,” she said.