Darjeeling: At least 17 people have died and several are reported missing as incessant heavy rainfall triggered multiple landslides across the Darjeeling hills on Saturday, sweeping away homes, damaging roads, and cutting off several remote hamlets, officials said.

Roads on key routes, including the road connecting Bengal and Sikkim and the one linking Darjeeling and Siliguri are blocked.

Rescue and relief operations are underway by the local administration, police, and disaster response teams, Darjeeling Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) Richard Lepcha told PTI.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has joined the rescue operations in Mirik Lake area, one of the worst-hit zones, officials said.

According to reports compiled by the NDRF and the district administration, nine deaths have been confirmed so far, while two others remain untraced.

Fatalities were reported from several locations – Sarsaly, Jasbirgaon, Mirik Basti, Dhar Gaon (Mechi), and Mirik Lake area. At least four people were rescued from the debris in Dhar Gaon, where heavy mudslides flattened several houses.

The landslides disrupted traffic movement on key routes including the Mirik-Sukhiapokhri road, while communication lines to several hilltop settlements were snapped.

North Bengal Development Minister Udayan Guha described the situation as “alarming” and pegged the death toll at seventeen citing reports.

“The loss of lives is tragic. As per our reports eleven people have died in Mirik and six in Darjeeling. But the figure is not yet confirmed,” Guha told PTI.

A senior police officer said heavy and continuous rain has severely hampered rescue operations.

“The terrain is slippery, and several houses have been damaged. The extent of damage is still being assessed. Earthmovers are finding it extremely difficult to operate on these slopes,” he said.

Several families in Bishnulal Gaon, Ward 3 Lake Side, and Jasbir Gaon in Mirik have been shifted to safer places as precautionary measures, while temporary relief camps have been set up in coordination with local NGOs and the district administration.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for extremely heavy rainfall in sub-Himalayan West Bengal, including Darjeeling and Kalimpong, till October 6, warning of more landslides and road blockages due to saturated soil conditions.

Officials said the priority remains to trace the two missing persons near Mirik Lake and restore connectivity to cut-off regions as rescue operations continue through the night under challenging conditions.

(The story has been updated with a new headline, and death toll)