Devastation In Darjeeling Kills 23, Survivor Recalls Horror: 'We Have Seen Floods, Storms, But Never This...'

At least 23 people, including children, were killed as relentless rain triggered one of the worst landslides in a decade in the Darjeeling hills and adjoining areas on Sunday, sweeping away homes, cutting

off roads, isolating villages, and leaving hundreds of stranded tourists amid widespread devastation. Residents narrated the horror they lived through in those hours of devastation. "We have seen floods and storms, but never this," Pema Bhutia, a 58-year-old tea worker from Mirik, standing before what used to be her home, told news agency PTI. "Everything happened in minutes. The hill just came down, like a wave of earth," Bhutia recalled. Rescue operations are underway in Darjeeling to evacuate stranded families. For many rescuers, there have been around three sleepless nights. "We have not gone home since Saturday. Some of us lost friends in the slide," said Rohit Chhetri, a member of the civil defence team working near Teesta Bazar. "The ground is still unstable, but we can't stop. People are waiting," he said."We found a child alive this morning under the debris. That gives us the strength to keep digging," a rescue worker told PTI. "This town has suffered, but it always comes back. In 1968, hundreds died. In 2015, we buried friends. Every time the hill falls, we rise again," said Karma Sherpa, a 63-year-old taxi driver who has ferried relief workers since Sunday morning.Read More- Darjeeling Landslide: Dudhia Bridge Collapses, Sikkim Cut Off As Heavy Rains Leave 18 Dead | Key Updates

Worst Devastation In Darjeeling Since 2015

The officials described the recent landslides as the worst since the 2015 landslide, which killed nearly 40 people in Darjeeling, and have left behind a trail of devastation.Entire slopes have caved in, highways buried under thick mud, and communication lines snapped, leaving hundreds of families and tourists stranded. Hundreds of tourists who had thronged the hills for Durga Puja and post-festive vacations found themselves marooned amid the chaos. Fatalities were reported from several locations - Sarsaly, Jasbirgaon, Mirik Basti, Dhar Gaon (Mechi), Mirik Lake area and the Nagrakata area in Jalpaiguri district, according to National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). "Total number of deaths reported so far is 23, spanning across Mirik, Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri," a NDRF official said.

CM Mamata Banerjee To Visit Darjeeling Today

As the situation worsened, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee held a high-level meeting at the state secretariat Nabanna, opened a 24x7 control room, and said she would visit North Bengal on Monday (October 6) to assess the situation."The situation is grave. Due to incessant rain in Bhutan, water has overflowed into North Bengal. This disaster is unfortunate- natural calamities are beyond our control," Banerjee told a news channel.Banerjee also assured stranded tourists that the government would make arrangements to bring them back safely. She also announced compensation for the victims.(With inputs from PTI)