Kolkata – Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will on Sunday travel again to north Bengal to oversee ongoing relief and rehabilitation operations in areas devastated by recent landslides and floods, officials said.
Since October 4, at least 32 people have lost their lives and thousands have been rendered homeless after heavy rainfall triggered landslides and flash floods across the northern districts of West Bengal.
Banerjee, who had earlier spent four days in the region from October 5 to monitor rescue and relief efforts, is returning to personally assess the situation and expedite assistance for affected families.
According to officials, the Chief Minister will first visit Hasimara in Alipurduar district, where she will chair a high-level administrative meeting to review relief measures. She will then tour multiple districts, including Darjeeling, to examine the scale of damage. Banerjee is expected to stay in the region for several days to coordinate recovery work.
A preliminary report prepared by the state administration estimates that around 12,000 houses have been damaged, with nearly 6,000 completely destroyed in the calamity. The figures are still being verified and have not yet been officially released.
The Chief Minister has announced financial aid for all affected families and directed district officials to distribute assistance with “wartime urgency.” Relief camps have been established across several districts, offering cooked meals and temporary shelter to displaced residents.
Officials said road connectivity has been largely restored in most of the affected areas, where transport services had been disrupted by floods and landslides. Banerjee has instructed officers to prioritise rehabilitation and complete damage assessments at the earliest.
Meanwhile, opposition parties have stepped up relief initiatives to support victims of the north Bengal disaster. Senior CPI(M) leader Biman Bose was seen in Kolkata’s Belgachia area collecting funds, while criticising “unregulated and rampant construction” in the hills for worsening the extent of destruction.
The BJP-controlled Lebutala puja committee has also launched donation drives in local markets to raise funds for relief efforts, as multiple organisations and citizens join hands to help rebuild communities in the region.