STH stormwatch -15Oct2013 : Feeling Phailin in the Himalayas -2

Very Severe Cyclone Phailin made landfall close to the Andhra/Odisha border on 12Oct2013 at approx 2100h (extensively covered in earlier STH stormwatch series of Oct2013).
Having moved inland it has been downgraded to a low pressure which is located in southwest Bihar (IMetD). Under the influence of this system, moisture laden clouds over the Darjeeling - Sikkim Himalayas have brought non-stop rainfall in the region for the last 24h and the rainfall continues as I write.
Rainfall figures from 0700h/ 14Oct to 0700h/ 15Oct2013 are shown below :-
a. Darjeeling  - 185 mm (source : STH ARG in Darjeeling).
b. Kalimpong - 141mm (source : IMD AWS - see above)
c. Siliguri       -   99mm (source : IMD AWS)
d. Gangtok     -   66mm (source : IMD AWS)
e. Gyalsing (W Sikkim) - 72mm (IMD AWS)
So far there are no reports of landslides (undoubtedly due to the less intensity of the rain) but this unseasonal rainfall will certainly cause :
a. Crop damage in this region
b. Flooding in the plains of Bengal.

Praful Rao,
Kalimpong,
Dist Darjeeling