Heavy rainfall, landslides in Bengal: All GTA-run schools to remain closed for next three days

Kolkata, Oct 7 Amid the ongoing crisis in the hills, Terai, and Dooars regions in north Bengal following heavy rainfall and landslides, the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) has decided to keep all schools in the hills of Darjeeling, Kurseong, and Kalimpong closed for the next three days.

The decision has been taken amid the disruption in the mobility and connectivity system in the region following the natural calamity.

The GTA authorities issued a notification in this regard on Tuesday.

"Due to heavy rainfall and subsequent landslides on October 4 and 5, the connectivity and the mobility have been disrupted in the entire region of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration. Considering the ground aspects, the competent authority of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration has decided that all the educational institutions (Government, Government-sponsored, Government-aided, private, run by Missionaries, etc), viz., primary schools, secondary schools, SSKs, MSKs, Colleges (both general & technical) will remain closed from 8th-10th October, 2025. These educational institutions will reopen on October 13," the GTA notification read.

Till Tuesday morning, the death toll following the natural disaster in the region has risen to 36, as per the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and district administrations in Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri.

With the weather conditions improving since Monday morning, there has been substantial progress in relief and rescue operations. Several affected people have been shifted to safe places, and tourists have been evacuated from the affected areas.

With the main road connecting the hills with the plains being closed, tourists are mainly resorting to two other alternative routes, namely Tindharia Road and Pankhabari Road, to reach Siliguri, the principal gateway town in North Bengal.

However, considering that the road via Pankhabari is quite remote, the pressure is more on the route by Tindharia.

GTA officials informed on Tuesday that the work for the repair of certain affected roads in Mirik block in Darjeeling district has already been completed, and work is on to complete the same for some other affected roads.

Work on the repair of roads is continuing in other pockets in the hills, namely Bijanbari, Gorubathan, Sukhiapokhari, Sonada, and Lava, among others.

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