Landslides damage Darjeeling hospital, patients evacuated

Siliguri, Jun 20 (UNI) Nearly 100 patients were being evacuated after cracks appeared on walls and roof of a government owned hospital following landslides triggered by heavy rains, official sources said.

Elsewhere in the hills over fifty houses were damaged and more than four dozen families rendered homeless as rains and landslides affected life in the hills for past three days.

However, there had been no report of any casualty so far.

District magistrate Rajesh Pandey said some 100 patients were being shifted today to a nearby guest house run by the Marawari samity.

Cracks appeared on walls of Darjeeling district hospital after rains and muds damage protecting walls endangering safety of the inmates and lifesaving medicines.

Many patients also left for home in panic as admistration was running the hospital with skeletal staff affected by indefinite bandh in the hills.

Operation theatre, paediatric department, medicine staff room, a male department and medicine store rooms were in danger as rains continued to lashing the hills.

Heavy rains and gusty winds badly affected life, which was already crippled by the strike sponsored by Gorkha Janmukti Morcha since Monday demanding separate Gorkhaland state.

Official sources said landslides at different places have damaged at least 50 homes and rendered homeless to as many families in past three days.

A desaster management cell was opened to monitor the situation arisen out of natural calamity.

Reports of damages came from all three sub-divisions of Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong and roadlinks of NH 55 and NH 31A.

A report also said the Teesta, the major river was also in spate and nearly to danger mark at domohoni near here.

UNI XC PC DB1846