Darjeeling hills and plains may finally breathe a sigh of relief as there is no forecast for heavy rain in the region over the next few days even though the skies in hills have relatively remained overcast.
Some parts in the hills did receive drizzle on Wednesday.
“There is no warning of heavy rainfall in the coming days. Only a few places may receive light to moderate showers,” an official of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Wednesday, adding that the overall weather is expected to improve gradually.
The forecast brings much-needed relief, particularly to residents of the Darjeeling hills, where a series of landslides since early Sunday have claimed at least 33 lives and caused widespread damage. In the Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar districts, swollen rivers had inundated low-lying areas, displacing thousands and disrupting normal life.
However, the IMD has not yet predicted the date for complete of withdrawal of the southwest monsoon from the region.
“Normally, the monsoon withdraws from north Bengal by October 10. But given the recent extreme weather, it may persist until October second week,” the official said.
Officials said restoration work had already begun in the affected areas.
“After the recent natural calamities, restoration has started and rehabilitation will follow once assessments are complete. But any further rain could delay the process,” said an official from the Darjeeling district administration.
The tourism industry, too, is anxiously waiting for clear skies. The sector, which was hit hard by the 2023 Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) in Sikkim, has suffered another blow this season due to the fresh wave of natural disasters across the region.
“After the GLOF, the tourism industry has struggled to recover. The latest calamities have once again dampened tourist confidence,” said Samrat Sanyal, secretary of the Himalayan Hospitality and Tourism Development Network (HHTDN), the apex body of tourism stakeholders.
“We are keeping our fingers crossed for clear weather. The region desperately needs stability for tourism to pick up again," Sanyal said.
