Sikkim's Rimbi hit by fresh mudslide amid heavy rain, key road blocked

A fresh mudslide carrying large boulders and debris struck Rimbi village in West Sikkim on Saturday evening, blocking a key road and putting two houses near the affected area at risk as heavy rainfall continued across the state.

The mudslide completely blocked the road connecting Rimbi and Khechuperi under the Yuksom-Tashiding constituency, bringing vehicular movement on the route to a halt. The continuing slope instability has raised concerns among residents, who fear further landslides if heavy rain persists.

The fresh incident comes amid a spell of intense rainfall that has triggered landslides, damaged roads and disrupted connectivity at several locations across Sikkim and the neighbouring Darjeeling Hills.FRESH MUDSLIDE BLOCKS RIMBI-KHECHUPERI ROAD

The latest mudslide at Rimbi brought down large boulders, soil and other debris onto the road, cutting off traffic between Rimbi and Khechuperi.

Two houses located close to the affected stretch are reportedly at risk because of the unstable slope. Residents have been advised to remain cautious as continued rainfall could trigger additional movement of earth and debris.

The disruption has also raised concerns over access to the surrounding areas, particularly as restoration efforts could be complicated by further rainfall and unstable terrain.HEAVY RAIN DAMAGES ROADS AND BRIDGES IN DARJEELING

The rainfall has also caused significant damage in the Darjeeling Hills. Heavy rain that began on Thursday night and continued into the early hours of Friday damaged a temporary causeway bridge over the Rangbhang river at Tabakoshi.

A Hume pipe bridge over the Balason river at Dudhey was also washed away around 4 am on Friday. The bridge was used by vehicles weighing more than six tonnes, mainly goods vehicles, travelling between Mirik and Siliguri.

The damage brought traffic movement on the affected routes to a standstill, while emergency restoration work was initiated, an administrative official said.

The disruption at Tabakoshi followed the formation of a 30–40-foot-deep natural dam on the Rangbhang Khola after a massive landslide in the Paila Gaon-Labarbote area of Mirik several days earlier.

The natural dam had raised fears of a possible flash flood downstream if the accumulated water breached the obstruction. Thirty-three families, comprising 124 people from Labarbote Lower Palzar Gaon under Pahila Gaon School Dara-II Gram Panchayat, were moved to safer locations as a precaution.NATURAL DAM BREACHES, WATER DAMAGES CAUSEWAY

The heavy rainfall on Thursday eventually breached the natural dam, sending the accumulated water rushing downstream. The resulting flow partially damaged the causeway bridge at Tabakoshi, which lies downstream of the landslide-affected area.

Vehicular movement was disrupted following the damage, with emergency restoration work underway.

The latest incidents have revived concerns over the vulnerability of roads and bridges in the eastern Himalayan region during periods of intense rainfall. Tabakoshi was among the worst-affected areas during the devastating natural calamity of October 4, 2025, when widespread landslides and flash floods caused extensive damage across the Darjeeling Hills.

Elsewhere, rainfall also disrupted the road connecting Srikhola and Ramman via Dara Gaon under the Darjeeling Pulbazar block. Srikhola, a scenic mountain hamlet near Sandakphu, is a popular tourist destination.

With rainfall continuing, authorities and residents remain on alert for further landslides, flooding and damage to road connectivity across vulnerable parts of Sikkim and the Darjeeling Hills.- EndsWith inputs from Kayes AnsariPublished By: Ritaban MisraPublished On: Sep 13, 2026 11:26 IST