Property worth several crores of rupees was damaged in the high intensity rainfall that lashed Siliguri last evening. Lightning also struck the HT gearbox at the all-important Kiran Chandra Crematorium, which led to the malfunctioning of the furnaces, it is learnt. The Met office has warned of more rainfall.

The town recorded 190 mm rainfall in the past 24 hours, weathermen said. The sudden bout of very heavy rainfall triggered largescale water logging in several wards under the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC). People were seen wading through ankle-deep, and kneedeep in some areas, waters even today, long after the rains stopped.

The administration and the SMC have activated the department of disaster management and civil defence to tackle the situation. Sources said many houses, roads and culverts were damaged in the rainfall. “The sharp spell of rain last evening caused extensive damage to roads and houses, among other property. We are assessing the exact extent of the damage.

We have already sanctioned Rs 13 crore for road repairs, mainly for Durga Puja, and we will approve some more funds for further repair work. We have already identified areas where water logging takes place mostly,” said Siliguri Mayor Gautam Deb. The SMC has deployed water pumping and suction machines on water logged stretches to drain out water faster, it is learnt.

According to the director of the State Meteorological Centre, Sikkim, Indian Meteorological Department, Dr Gopi Nath Raha, there could be heavy to very heavy rainfall in the next four-five days in the region.

“Due to the shifting of the monsoon trough towards the foothills of the Himalayas, there could be heavy to very heavy rainfall in isolated places in north Bengal and adjoining Sikkim for the next fourfive days, to be accompanied by thunderstorm and lightning. Eainfall is likely to be between seven and 20 cm.

At the same time, there will be light to moderate rainfall in the region,” Dr Raha said. Meanwhile, bodies could not be cremated at the Kiran Chandra Crematorium today too due to the malfunction of the HT gearbox. “Lightning struck the gearbox beside the transformer at 10 pm yesterday. The repair work is underway,” said the member of the mayor-incouncil, electricity, SMC, Kamal Agarwal