Commuters make their way through a waterlogged road caused by heavy rain, in Kolkata on June 19, 2026
| Photo Credit: ANI
As rains battered multiple districts of West Bengal, one casualty was reported on Friday (June 19, 2026) from Alipurduar. Landslides and flooding battered life in north Bengal. A cardinal bridge in north Bengal, between Mirik and Darjeeling, was washed away due to heavy rain and flooding. The water levels were on the rise in the Teesta River as north Bengal remained on flood watch, and Kolkata and its surrounding areas battled waterlogging and traffic disruptions. “Major damage was where a bridge was washed out... a similar incident happened in 2025 in Dudhia... rains can damage bridges because of the heavy force of the gushing water from the mountains, there is massive water pressure. But a bridge that was constructed 7-8 months back was completely washed away... if there was any cut money or the quality was maintained during construction, we will look into it, but for now, we need to restore normalcy as our first priority,” Mr Adhikari said.
Locals and security personnel gather at the site after the temporary hume pipe bridge at Dudhia on the Balasan River was washed away due to heavy rainfall, in Darjeeling on June 19, 2026
