Alipurduar, 16 July (H.S.): Amid the heavy rainfall North Bengal, a major accident was narrowly avoided in Madarihat area of Alipurduar district. A passenger bus got trapped in a flash flood, triggering panic among passengers. Local residents rescued all the passengers safely.

According to reports, the bus was travelling from Jamtala to Totopara on Wednesday morning when it encountered rapidly rising water levels in the Bangri River as it passed through the Madarihat area. Heavy rainfall in the Bhutan hills led to the river swelling suddenly, submerging the surrounding areas.

The bus got stuck in the strong current and a part of it began to submerge. The bus driver managed to prevent the bus from being swept away.

Soon after, local residents rushed to the spot and began rescue work. They also alerted the police and district administration. They evacuated the trapped passengers and the driver one by one. All the passengers were rescued unharmed. But the bus remains stranded in the river water.

Following the incident, road connectivity between Madarihat and Totopara has been completely cut off. Authorities told they are monitoring the situation.

Locals said that such flash floods are a recurring threat during the monsoon season in this region. They urged the administration to implement permanent safety measures to prevent such incidents in future.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey