Rainfall data of July 2024 of some towns in Sub-Himalayan W Bengal and Sikkim

IMPACT OF THE JULY 2024 RAINS AT TEESTA BAZAR:
Some young men at Teesta bazar had started a two wheeler repair business in this shop on the Darjeeling-Kalimpong road after they shovelled out all the sand and debris brought in by the 04Oct2023 disaster (notice the damaged ceiling fans). The rains of July2024 put an end to their business venture and dreams when the Teesta river, flowing in the vicinity and almost at the same level flooded their shop again during heavy rains.

Rainfall normally peaks in July during the monsoons after which the rainfall gradually declines in August and Sept with the monsoons normally exiting our region in October.
As is clearly visible from the top data, rainfall was heavier in the Dooars area and foothills of Kalimpong district (and Bhutan hills).
IMPACT
The amount and intensity of rainfall impacted road communication a lot with NH10 and the Darjeeling - Kalimpong road being closed OFF and ON thru the month.

Even Rohini road to Darjeeling from Siliguri was closed for some time on 02Jul2024

                                Landslide near Loreto School, Darjeeling - 05July2024

INFACT NH10, WHICH HAD CLOSED ON 01JULY2024, COULD NOT BE RE-OPENED FOR TRAFFIC UNTIL 31JULY2024 - WHICH WAS THE LONGEST DURATION THAT THE HIGHWAY WAS CLOSED CONTINUOUSLY EVER - ALL DUE TO THE TEESTA VALLEY GLOF OF 04OCT2023.

Landslide on NH10, at Andheri, near Rangpo on 16July2024.

A low pressure area in the Bay of Bengal which brought in a drier spell of weather in our region after the heavy rains in the first half of July2024.

My thanks to all our What's App group ('Hazard Alerts') members whose images and stories I have used in this post

Praful Rao
with
Yukta Acharya

SaveTheHills
Kalimpong district
Darjeeling-Sikkim Himalaya
savethehills@gmail.com
9475033744