Tunnel slope collapses in north Bengal’s Kalimpong area triggered by heavy rainfall

A section of a tunnel slope near the under-construction Sevoke-Rangpo railway line in north Bengal’s Kalimpong district collapsed within seconds on Tuesday (August 5, 2025), following heavy rainfall and a landslide in the area. Fortunately, no injuries or casualties were reported from the incident near Tunnel No. 7 of the IRCON-led project, officials confirmed. 

“As per reports from the field, there are no casualties or injuries to any workers or general public. There is no loss of any machinery or railway assets,” a senior official of the Northeast Frontier Railway told The Hindu. 

According to the sources inside NFR was about 30 metres away from the tunnel location and there is no danger to the tunnel. 

The exact location of the accident is at Ravijhora near Teesta Bazar in north Bengal.  

Debris removal work is in progress in the affected area and as a precautionary measure due to the ongoing heavy rainfall actions are being taken to remove the men and machinery from the site. 

Videos from the accident have gone viral on social media which showed the concrete structure beside the tunnel collapsing within seconds. 

This tunnel was part of a railway project construction plan which will link the mountainous State of Sikkim with the rest of the country’s railway network.  

Meanwhile, one of the cardinal roads in the area National Highway 10 was already closed due to flooding and Teesta River water overflowing on the roads in many places. Multiple landslides along the NH10 road were also reported last week. The disruption in multiple locations has severely affected local transport and connectivity in the area. 

Landslides have become a recurring issue in both north Bengal and Sikkim during the monsoons. This year West Bengal has witnessed abnormally heavy rainfall according to government officials. 

“Every authority knows that the endless construction, heavy vehicle load and major infrastructure projects are triggering these landslides. Many of the roads are closed since so many days and we have been suffering,” Kishore Pradhan a local from Teesta Bazar area told The Hindu on Tuesday. He also said that they have to waste 4 hours on a 1 hour journey because of the road blockade and spend extra money.