Rainfall data Jun2014

June2014 saw no major weather systems developing in the Bay of Bengal and the first two weeks of the month were hot with not much rainfall in Sub-Himalayan West Bengal (SWHB) and Sikkim.
The second half of June2014 however witnessed heavy showers in the entire region - thus Kalimpong, Darjeeling and Siliguri received around 90% of the month's rainfall between 15-30Jun2014 (see slides 2-3) and this placed the region in TRMM's potential landslide zone (slide 4)
No major landslides were reported even though a landslide fatality did occur in Sikkim.

Praful Rao,
Kalimpong,
Dist Darjeeling

Rainfall data of Darjeeling district and N Sikkim - April 2013

The pre-monsoon season in India lasts from Mar- May and as per the above map from IMetD we are running deficient in rainfall.
STH has installed a new ARG in Mangan (N Sikkim) but regretfully the ARG at Jaldhaka in the foothills of the Dooars has become unserviceable.

Praful Rao,
Kalimpong