Darjeeling, Sept. 26: Incessant rain and landslides have forced several Darjeeling schools to declare an early Puja vacation from today while Sikkim schools, most of which have been ravaged by the earthquake, will not reopen before October 10.

Several Darjeeling schools such as St Joseph’s College (North Point) took the decision after two days of heavy rain, landslides and fear of more such disruptions.

A 20-metre stretch of 18 Lebong Cart Road, off which North Point School is located, caved in last night. “Although there is an alternative route through the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, we decided to close from today instead of September 30 because students would find it difficult to take the congested road during the tourist season,” said Kinley Tshering, the rector of North Point School.

Mount Hermon, which is near North Point, however, is not considering bringing forward its Puja vacation. “If rain persists, we may close the school for a day or two,” said George Fernandez, the principal. Mount Hermon is scheduled to close for Puja on October 1.

“With the earthquake, rain and the landslides, the general mood among students is downbeat. I would have liked to declare the vacation from today but that will inconvenience parents,” he said.

“Many parents have planned trips from October 1 and booked tickets and hotels accordingly. Rescheduling trips during the festive season will be difficult,” he added.

Weather experts forecast more rain in the days to come.

In Sikkim, all government schools will reopen on October 10. Classes in the state’s 779 government schools and 325 private institutions were suspended on September 19, a day after the quake.

“All government schools will open on October 10. Many schools have been damaged because of the quake. Moreover, the weather has not improved,” human resource development secretary C.S. Rao said.

Rao said the schools would take extra classes in winter.

Darjeeling civic polls

Elections to the four Darjeeling municipalities will be held on December 11. The polls could not be held in the past two years because of resistance from the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha.