Teesta River Overflow Incident in Sikkim 2025: Heavy Rain Causes Landslides on National Highway 10
Heavy Rain Causes Disruptions in Sikkim and Adjoining Regions
Heavy to extremely heavy rainfall has been ongoing in Sikkim and the Darjeeling district since early August 2025, leading to significant disruptions in these hilly and sub-Himalayan areas. The local administration in Gangtok has deployed workers and machinery to clear debris and restore access, but the ongoing rainfall is hampering these efforts.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported heavy rainfall across Sikkim in the past 24 hours, with extremely heavy rainfall forecasted and recorded at isolated places over Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim on August 1-3. This has resulted in localized floods, road inundations, and traffic disruptions, affecting travel and connectivity to Siliguri, Kalimpong, and other surrounding regions.
Serious damage has been reported in areas such as Tintek Khola and Kokaley in Sikkim. The Teesta River has breached its embankment at 29th Mile, causing inundation of a critical stretch of National Highway 10 (NH-10). This breach and flooding have severed the lifeline linking Sikkim and Kalimpong to Siliguri. A major landslide at Bardang, between Singtam and Rangpo, has completely blocked NH-10.
Traffic also came to a halt on the Peshok Road, which connects Darjeeling to Kalimpong. The flooding at Rabijhora near Teesta Bazar has caused additional disruption to the road network. A significant landslide at Tarkhola in Kalimpong disrupted the route between Sevoke (West Bengal) and Rangpo (Sikkim).
Authorities have advised people to remain on high alert due to the potential for rivers and streams to overflow and trigger additional landslides. Meteorological alerts (red and orange warnings) are active for Darjeeling, North Bengal, and adjacent districts due to ongoing heavy rains, signalling potential for further travel disruptions and connectivity challenges.
Given these conditions, travel to and from Siliguri, Kalimpong, and nearby areas is likely to be adversely affected by flooded and damaged roads, reduced visibility, and possible landslides in the mountainous terrain. Tourists are urged to postpone travel to Uttarakhand due to a heavy rainfall warning.
As the rainfall continues, authorities are advised to monitor weather alerts closely, while travelers should anticipate delays and possible route closures until conditions improve. The local administration is working tirelessly to restore access and clear the debris, but the ongoing rainfall remains a challenge.
Car accidents due to the heavy rain could be an additional concern in the general news, as slick roads and reduced visibility may lead to increased accidents in the affected regions. The flooding in rivers and streams, combined with the threat of additional landslides, could potentially cause fires in some instances, particularly if torrents breach electrical infrastructure. With the ongoing heavy weather and weather forecasting predicting further rainfall, it's crucial for the authorities to intensify their efforts in monitoring the situation and for travelers to prepare for unexpected delays and changes in travel plans.
