A field visit was conducted to assess the impact of the landslide that occurred on 13 July 2026, understand the condition of the affected households, identify their immediate needs, and observe any continuing risks at the site.
Incident Overview
At approximately 4:30 a.m. on Mon, 13 July 2026, a landslide struck a residential area, affecting two households. One house was completely damaged, while the second sustained partial damage. Fortunately, no casualties or injuries were reported due to the timely response of the affected families and the immediate assistance provided by neighbours and the local community.
Household 1 - Mr. Asta Ratna Bajracharya
Mr. Asta Ratna Bajracharya, aged 60 years, works as a local school transport driver and is the head of a household comprising seven family members. At the time of the incident, however, only Mr. Bajracharya and his 55-year-old wife were present in the house.
According to Mr. Bajracharya, at around 4:30 a.m., they heard an initial loud sound from outside. Assuming it was a tree falling due to the continuous rainfall, they did not immediately suspect any danger. A few moments later, they heard a second, louder sound, which caused them to wake up. As they were getting up, a third and much louder impact occurred when the landslide struck the house.
Mr. Bajracharya explained that the landslide primarily impacted the opposite side of the house from the room where he and his wife were sleeping. This provided them with enough time to react and escape. As the usual exit was no longer accessible, they climbed out through a window. Once outside, they were able to see the extent of the damage caused by the landslide.
The first response was provided by nearby neighbours and members of the local Samaj, who immediately came to assist the couple. Shortly afterwards, personnel from the Fire and Emergency Services arrived at the site. They broke through a section of the damaged wall and assisted in retrieving household belongings that remained trapped inside the house.
The house has been completely damaged and is no longer safe for occupancy. Fortunately, no lives were lost, no livestock was affected, and all-important documents were recovered safely. Mr. Bajracharya and his wife are currently staying in a nearby rented accommodation. They informed that the rental expenses are presently being taken care of through support from the concerned authorities. At present, they do not have any immediate relief needs. Their primary concern is access to a safe and permanent house.
During the discussion, Mr. Bajracharya stated that one of the major contributing factors to the landslide was the poor maintenance of the drainage system. He explained that the drain had frequently become clogged due to indiscriminate dumping of waste. He further shared that he had personally taken the initiative on several occasions to clean the drain and had even installed a signboard requesting people not to dispose of waste in the area. Despite these efforts, waste dumping continued, resulting in blocked drainage and diversion of rainwater towards the slope.
Household 2 - Mr. Sukraj Bajracharya
Mr. Sukraj Bajracharya, aged 86 years, lives with his 81-year-old wife in a household comprising nine family members, including two school-going children. On the day of the incident, seven family members were present in the house.
Mr. Sukraj Bajracharya shared that he usually wakes up early in the morning and was the first to hear the unusual sound outside. Realizing that something was wrong, he immediately alerted the other family members and asked them to move to a safer area of the house. His prompt response ensured that everyone evacuated safely before the situation worsened.
The landslide caused partial damage to the house. Although there was no major structural collapse, a significant amount of mud and debris entered the house, and a portion of the wall had tilted, making the building unsafe for habitation. At the time of the visit, debris was still present inside the house, and some household belongings had yet to be removed.
The family has temporarily shifted to a nearby rented accommodation, where the rental expenses are currently being supported through external assistance. They have also received support from the local Samaj and other individuals. Similar to the first household, they reported no immediate relief needs other than the need for a safe and permanent house.
Mr. Sukraj Bajracharya also expressed the view that poor drainage maintenance and the blockage of drains due to waste accumulation were among the major factors that contributed to the landslide.
Observations
During the site visit, it was observed that the slope above the affected houses remains unstable. Several bamboo clumps on the upper slope were visibly tilted, indicating the possibility of further slope movement if continuous rainfall persists.
Both affected households consistently identified poor drainage maintenance as one of the major contributing factors to the landslide. They stated that drains had frequently become blocked due to indiscriminate waste disposal. In addition, it was observed that construction materials such as stones, pebbles, and aggregates had been stored along sections of the roadside. During periods of heavy rainfall, these materials can obstruct the natural flow of surface runoff, divert water towards vulnerable slopes, and contribute to blockage of drainage channels.
The assessment highlights the importance of regular drain maintenance,
- Report by Stephen Lepcha,
Anugyalaya
Rainfall Data
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Notice that we had 3 dry days prior to the landslide occurring on 13July morning and also, the rainfall both in the amount (91.6mm) and intensity (instant peak approx 100mm/hr) was not very high.  I am glad to report that despite the loss to property no one died in this landslide but this blog is replete with reports of fatal anthropogenic landslides in urban settings and the one which I remember most, is where a mother and her two children lost their lives. It occurred just 5 mins from my home in 2010. |
Weather and Rainfall data
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Landslide in Norbung area of Sittong   Update on 21Jun2026  My grateful thanks to Hazard Alerts (out WhatsApp group) members whose photographs I have used above. Praful Rao SaveTheHills savethehills@gmail.com 9475033744 |
May marks the final month of the pre-monsoon season and normally receives 257.5 mm rainfall over the Sub-Himalayan West Bengal (SHWB) and Sikkim region according to IMD (1971–2000 normals). The month is usually characterized by thunderstorms, squalls, hailstorms, and increasing moisture influx from the Bay of Bengal ahead of the southwest monsoon.
May 2026 was a highly variable month, with rainfall distributed unevenly across the region. Some locations experienced rainfall well above the long-term normal, while others remained comparatively dry.
A notable feature was the occurrence of several intense rainfall events between 13–17 May and again around 22–26 May, particularly affecting Sikkim and parts of the Himalayan foothills.
The extraordinary rainfall which took place in Kalimpong on 28May2026 is covered in an earlier blog.
Mangan and Gangtok experienced exceptional rainfall.
Sevoke, Banarhat, Alipurduar and Siliguri all received abundant rainfall. The foothill belt was particularly active during thunderstorm episodes.
Darjeeling itself was surprisingly dry compared with neighbouring Kurseong and Kalimpong. This highlights the highly localized nature of pre-monsoon convection and terrain-induced rainfall.
Praful Rao |
Flooded street in Kalimpong town at around 04.15pm/28May2026 |
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Need of the hour: Cleaning, maintenance, and upgradation of the drainage system.
If Kalimpong — or any mountain town — is to withstand such torrential volumes of storm water, we must urgently address the condition of our drainage infrastructure. Existing drains need regular cleaning and maintenance, while the entire system requires systematic upgradation to cope with increasingly intense rainfall events.
Photo video credits: Naresh Changia, Kalimpong
Praful Rao
SaveTheHills
savethehills@gmail.com
9475033744
The lower photograph (May 2026) appears considerably greener than the one taken in May 2009. This is most likely because the pre-monsoon season of 2009 may have been significantly drier than that of 2026, resulting in lesser undergrowth, vegetation and seasonal greenery across the slopes.
The 2009 image also shows more open terraced cultivation and a clearer patchwork of agricultural land use, whereas these features appear less distinct in the 2026 photograph.
This change may partly be seasonal. Maize is normally planted during May and a good crop cover in 2026 may have obscured some of the terraces visible in the earlier image. However, a more important long-term factor is likely, the gradual abandonment of farmland caused by migration of younger populations away from rural areas to places abroad or to Indian metros. Many former agricultural slopes may now be unmanaged undergrowth and vegetation, making terraced areas less visible than before.
Across Areas A, B, C and D, several important changes are evident:
The one encouraging sign in the 2026 image is the apparent recovery around the Pashyor landslide area (E). Increased vegetation cover suggests partial recovery and some degree of surface stabilization. However, in the Himalayas, vegetation recovery does not always mean that a landslide has become fully stable, as deep-seated geological weakness and drainage-related instability may still persist beneath the surface.
Overall, the photographs document the transformation of the western face of Kalimpong from a more semi-rural Himalayan settlement into a more populated and urbanized area over the past seventeen years. They also highlight the growing challenge of balancing development with ecological and geological stability in the fragile Himalayan environment.
Praful Rao
SaveTheHills
savethehills@gmail.com
9475033744
July is typically the wettest month of the monsoon season. In July 2025, there were four days during which rainfall exceeded 90 mm in a 24-hour period. Thereafter, rainfall gradually declined, apart from a brief spike on 12 August 2025. Total rainfall amounted to 467 mm in August and 253.2 mm in September 2025.
October 2025 was relatively dry, except for two days of intense rainfall. On 4–5 October, widespread heavy rain affected the entire region and triggered devastating landslides and flash floods, resulting in significant loss of life in Mirik.
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| Forest fires in South Sikkim on 17Feb2026 due to extreme dry weather |
Zone 1: Sikkim, especially North Sikkim,
received the heaviest rainfall
Among all areas in the SHWB–Sikkim, the highest precipitation occurred in North Sikkim (Mangan, Lachen, Lachung,
Chungthang belt).
Zone 2. Plains of Dooars and Alipurduar were also very wet. The
foothill districts of Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri, and the Dooars experienced
substantial rainfall due to strong thunderstorm activity and moisture
convergence.
Zone 3. Darjeeling and Kalimpong hills were wet but
comparatively less so Although rainfall was above normal, totals in Darjeeling and Kalimpong
were generally lower than in North Sikkim and parts of the plains.
And in this region, Kurseong certainly always has the heaviest rainfall. The foothills of the Dooars ie Gorubathan and that belt also have intense thunderstorms and heavy rain.
Graphical Analysis of Rainfall and Windspeed of March and April 2026 of Kalimpong
