Siliguri: The death toll in the landslides in North Bengal has mounted to 24, as incessant rains continue to lash the region, with two major hill stations, Darjeeling and Gangtok in Sikkim remaining cut-off from the rest of the country.

The rescue workers recovered one more body on July 8 night at the worst affected Mirik block while six others, who remained missing, were believed to be dead, according to Darjeeling district magistrate H Mohan.

Rescuers had pulled out 17 bodies, including three of women from the disaster site where at least 50 houses had been destroyed due to landslide in the early hours of July 8 following incessant rains in the region.

Mohan said on July 9 morning also at least 10 houses were destroyed in fresh landslides, but there were no casualty as residents of the area had already been evacuated to safer places due to continuous rains.

He further said that entire Sikkim and Darjeeling town remained cut-off, as roads connecting them were blocked due to landslides and it would take at least two to three days to restore the traffic provided weather improves.

With the Hillcart road (NH-55) connecting Siliguri and Darjeeling totally blocked, attempts are being made to open the narrow road to Kurseong through Pankhabari, but it is very difficult to say when normal traffic would be restored since the region is still being lashed by heavy rains, he said.

The Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee had expressed concern on July 8 and asked the state Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Minister Asok Bhattacharya to rush to North Bengal immediately and oversee rescue and relief operations.

PTI