A landslide blocked the Singtam-Dikchu road after a landslide occurred at Rangchang in Sikkim early on Tuesday.

Dikchu is about 35 km from Gangtok and falls under the jurisdiction of Mangan and Gangtok districts. The situation prompted the Gangtok district administration to restrict traffic.

“As per an order issued by the district administration, all traffic movement has been completely stopped between Singtam and Dikchu to facilitate urgent repair and maintenance work at Chainage and Ranchang Khola, which are located on the stretches of the road. This restriction has been imposed from 8am on Tuesday, and it will continue till 11pm on July 2,” the official order said.

The official order also stated that commuters travelling towards Dikchu were advised to divert from Chainage, via Ralley village and upper Samdong village.

Another road blockade occurred at Eighth Mile on Gangtok-Mangan Road as a huge boulder fell onto the road.

A source in the Indian Meteorological Department said Sikkim’s Gyalshing recorded 70mm of rain and the Darjeeling hills 69 mm. In the plains, Jalpaiguri recorded 145mm overthe past 24 hours.

“There is a forecast of heavy rain with thunderstorms and lightning likely to occur across Gyalshing, Namchi, Pakyong and Soreng district of Gangtok in the next 24 hours. Similar prediction of heavy to very heavy rainfall, around 200 mm, with gusty wind will affect Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri district in the next 24 hours,” an IMD source said.

Heavy rainfall in Jalpaiguri on Tuesday morning left at least 13 wards of the town waterlogged, exposing the city’s recurring drainage problems. Knee-deep water inundated several roads, disrupting traffic and inconveniencing school students and commuters.

Roads in Pandapara, Mahamayapara, Congresspara, Station Road, No. 3 Gumti, DBC Road, Newtownpara, New Circular Road, Bamanpara, Anandapara, Deshbandhupara and the SJDA Complex were under knee-deep water.

“I usually cycle to school every day, but today I had to return home as the roads were submerged. I left my bicycle at home and hired a toto to reach school. Almost every lane in Pandapara and Mahamayapara was flooded, forcing us to take a much longer route,” said Jayashree Sarkar, a Dangapara resident.

Every year, most wards in Jalpaiguri are flooded. The swollen Karala river frequently overflows into low-lying neighbourhoods.

Although the water receded as the rain eased later in the day, residents alleged that poor maintenance and the failure to regularly clean drains had worsened the situation.

Municipal authorities rejected the allegations.

“There is no blockage caused by garbage in the drains. The waterlogging occurred because of exceptionally heavy rainfall. As soon as the rain subsided, the water started receding from most areas. Waterlogging persists in wards 20 and 21, where pumping operations are underway. We expect the accumulated water to be drained out soon,” said Saikat Chatterjee, the chairman of Jalpaiguri municipality.