North Bengal red alert: Landslides strand tourists, floods hit Alipurduar and Cooch Behar
Synopsis
Landslides have cut off hill stations, tourists are stranded across Darjeeling and Mirik, Alipurduar town is waterlogged, and the Torsa River is rising in Cooch Behar — all as a red alert for up to 200 mm of rain looms over five north Bengal districts until Monday. The scale of disruption underscores how vulnerable the region's road and drainage infrastructure remains to annual monsoon stress.
Key Takeaways
A red alert for heavy rain has been issued across Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri , and Alipurduar districts until Monday, 30 June .
Rainfall of up to 200 mm is forecast; North Dinajpur is under an orange alert and South Dinajpur and Malda under storm alerts.
A landslide in Mirik on Sunday snapped road connectivity; tourists in Darjeeling , Kalimpong , and Mirik remain stranded with hotel cancellations rising.
Alipurduar town is flooded in Wards 1, 4, 5, 8 , and 9 ; sluice gates on Dima and Kaljani rivers shut, blocking drainage.
The Torsa River in Cooch Behar is rising; Madhupur area under Cooch Behar Block II has been declared a flood-affected zone.
Relief materials stocked at BDO offices ; civil defence personnel on high alert across affected districts.
Heavy and incessant rainfall over the past several days has severely disrupted normal life across north Bengal, with landslides blocking key road connections, large numbers of tourists stranded in hill stations, and low-lying districts including Alipurduar and Cooch Behar facing widespread flooding. A red alert for heavy rain has been issued across five north Bengal districts until Monday, 30 June, with rainfall of up to 200 millimetres forecast in some areas.
Landslides and road disruptions
A landslide struck Mirik on Sunday morning following continuous overnight rain, severing road connectivity with the plains. Authorities moved swiftly to begin debris clearance. Traffic on Falakata Road in Alipurduar has come to a complete halt. Tourists stranded in the hill stations of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and Mirik have been forced to take lengthy detours or remain in hotels until roads are reopened. Multiple hotel booking cancellations have also been reported across the region.
Flooding in Alipurduar and Cooch Behar
Several areas of Alipurduar town have been inundated, with water logging reported in Wards 1, 4, 5, 8, and 9. The sluice gates on the Dima and Kaljani rivers have been shut due to rising water levels, preventing drainage from the town. In Cooch Behar, the water level in the Torsa River has risen sharply, turning the Madhupur area under Cooch Behar Block II into a flood-affected zone. Sukumar Roy, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from the Cooch Behar Uttar Assembly constituency, visited the affected area on Sunday to assess conditions on the ground.
Alerts across north Bengal districts
According to the weather forecast, districts of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri, and Alipurduar may receive up to 200 mm of rainfall, prompting a red alert until Monday. An orange alert is in force in North Dinajpur district, while South Dinajpur and Malda are under thunderstorm and rain alerts. A yellow alert for heavy rain remains in place across the remaining districts of the region.
Administration response
District administration officials confirmed they are closely monitoring the evolving weather situation. Relief materials have been pre-positioned at Block Development Officer (BDO) offices, and civil defence personnel have been placed on high alert. The administration is coordinating assistance for people in distress across the affected areas. This comes amid a broader pattern of monsoon-related disruptions that have historically hit north Bengal's hilly and riverine zones every year between June and August.
Point of View
Mirik's roads collapsing after a single night of rain, and tourists stranded without contingency infrastructure all point to the same systemic gap: disaster preparedness is reactive, not structural. The red alert covers five districts, but the real alert should be for the state's drainage and road resilience plans, which have not kept pace with the intensity of rainfall the region now routinely receives.
NationPress
28 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Which districts are under red alert for heavy rain in north Bengal?
A red alert has been issued for Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri, and Alipurduar districts until Monday, 30 June, with up to 200 mm of rainfall forecast. North Dinajpur is under an orange alert, while South Dinajpur and Malda face thunderstorm warnings.
Why are tourists stranded in north Bengal hill stations?
Landslides triggered by continuous heavy rain have blocked key roads connecting hill stations such as Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and Mirik to the plains. Tourists have been forced to remain in hotels until roads are cleared, and multiple booking cancellations have been reported.
What is the flood situation in Alipurduar?
Several wards of Alipurduar town — including Wards 1, 4, 5, 8, and 9 — have been inundated. Sluice gates on the Dima and Kaljani rivers have been closed due to rising water levels, preventing floodwater inside the town from draining out.
What is the situation in Cooch Behar?
The Torsa River in Cooch Behar has risen sharply due to continuous rainfall, and the Madhupur area under Cooch Behar Block II has become a flood-affected zone. BJP MLA Sukumar Roy from Cooch Behar Uttar constituency visited the area on Sunday to review conditions.
What relief measures have authorities put in place?
The district administration has pre-positioned relief materials at Block Development Officer offices and placed civil defence personnel on high alert across affected areas. Officials are closely monitoring the weather situation and coordinating assistance for people in distress.
