The toll from floods in Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts of northern West Bengal rose to 20, PTI reported.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday held a review meeting and opened a round-the-clock control room to monitor the situation, The Indian Express reported.

Banerjee left for North Bengal on Monday to oversee rescue and restoration efforts.

She also announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh and a Homeguard job for a member of the families of those who died.

The National Disaster Response Force had on Sunday joined the rescue operations in the Mirik Lake area.

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Traffic movement on several key routes, including from Darjeeling to Siliguri, was disrupted due to the landslides and communication lines to several hilltop settlements were also snapped.

Banerjee said on Sunday that she was “deeply worried and concerned” that areas in northern Bengal and southern Bengal had been flooded due to sudden rainfall within a few hours on Saturday night, as well as due to “rush of excessive river waters in our state from outside”.

The chief minister said there was sudden rainfall exceeding 300 mm in 12 hours in northern Bengal on Saturday night. She added that simultaneously, there had been an excessive flow of water into the Sankosh river and river waters from Bhutan and the neighbouring state of Sikkim.

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She advised tourists in northern Bengal to remain where they are till the authorities evacuate them. “Rescue costs are ours and tourists need not be anxious,” she said.

The chief minister said that two iron bridges had collapsed, several roads were damaged and flooded, and huge tracts of land in Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar districts were inundated.

The India Meteorological Department has issued a red alert for extremely heavy rainfall in sub-Himalayan West Bengal, including Darjeeling and Kalimpong, till Monday. The weather agency also warned of more landslides and road blockages due to saturated soil conditions.