Intense Storm & Rainfall Wreak Havoc In Bengal; Darjeeling, Sikkim Receive Heavy Snowfall
Several trees were toppled in many wards under the Siliguri Municipal Corporation, leading to the closure of main roads. Administration has started clearing the snow.
Published : March 28, 2026 at 8:00 PM IST
Darjeeling: Intense storms coupled with incessant rainfall throughout Friday night have thrown life in several parts of West Bengal out of gear. Not only in the hills, but the impact was equally felt in the plains, where several trees were toppled by hailstorms that wreaked havoc throughout the night.
Sandakphu in Darjeeling received heavy snowfall that blanketed vast stretches of the area, resulting in the closure of roads and a complete halt to vehicular movement. The administration has been working from early Saturday morning to clear the snow and restore traffic.
Sandakphu had also experienced snowfall on March 17, when the hills were left devastated by a mere 15-minute storm. Consequently, the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) had suspended travel to Sandakphu, which was restored two days later.
Meanwhile, several trees were toppled in Wards 1, 3, 5, 17, and 33 of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation, leading to severe traffic congestion. The corporation has deployed several teams to clear the roads to normalise vehicular movement.
"Several trees have fallen across the hills due to the storms and rainfall that persisted throughout the night. Restoration work has already commenced in all affected areas from Saturday morning," Darjeeling district magistrate Harishankar Panicker said.
"After the storm subsided, I personally visited several locations. Several trees had fallen, and instructions have been issued to clear them immediately," Siliguri mayor Gautam Deb said.
Meanwhile, several areas in North Sikkim experienced snowfall, resulting in the suspension of vehicular traffic along multiple roadways. Snowfall has been reported in various locations, including Yumthang, Gurudongmar, Lachen, Lachung, 15 Mile, and Nathang.
As per the latest report, the main thoroughfares have been cleared of snow, restoring normal traffic flow. The roads from Chungthang to Mangan (via Lachung, Lachen, and Tung), the 15-mile stretch from JN Road, and the road from RN Road to Nangthang have also been opened.
However, Naga Road, the road from Chungthang to Mangan via Tung and the stretch from Thangu to Gurudongmar are closed.
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