Heavy rains, massive landslides throw normal life out of gear in Darjeeling

<p style="margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 17.9200000762939px;">Heavy overnight rain triggered a string of landslides in the mountainous Darjeeling district of West Bengal, killing at least 38 people, swamping homes, washing away highways and throwing normal life out of gear in the region famed for aromatic tea. <span style="outline: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.0080003738403px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.538em;">Army's help has also been sought for stepped up rescue and relief efforts, North Bengal Development Minister Gautam Deb said.</span></p><p style="margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 17.9200000762939px;">Torrential rain battered three sub-divisions of Darjeeling district, claiming 21 lives in Mirik alone where 13 people were also reported missing, sources in the Disaster Management Department said on Wednesday. <span style="outline: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.0080003738403px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.538em;">17 others died in Kalimpong-1 and 2, lava, Sukhia block and Gorubathan, sources said.</span></p>