The death toll in the devastating floods and landslides that struck north Bengal has climbed to 33, with six more bodies recovered from Darjeeling, Cooch Behar, and Alipurduar districts since Monday.
Among the victims were a Nepali and a Bhutanese citizen swept away by overflowing transboundary rivers, officials confirmed.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, addressing the media in Siliguri, dismissed allegations of administrative negligence, saying the government had alerted residents hours before the disaster struck.
“The administration had warned people on Saturday evening. The toll could have been higher if teams hadn’t acted swiftly,” Banerjee said.
Critics questioned Banerjee’s presence at the Durga Puja carnival in Kolkata on Sunday amid the crisis, but she defended her decision, saying immediate travel would have disrupted rescue work.
Relief operations, including community kitchens, temporary shelters, and infrastructure restoration, are underway as several people remain missing and thousands homeless.
