In Flood Hit North Bengal, Elephants Turned Rescuers - Carrying Trapped Tourists To Safety Through Rising Waters

When heavy rains lashed North Bengal in early October, rivers overflowed and hillsides gave way. Flash floods and landslides swept through Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, and Alipurduar, cutting off several towns. Visuals from affected areas show roads, bridges, and forest tracks collapsed, leaving hundreds stranded.

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What began as a post-Durga Puja festive holiday quickly turned into a desperate fight for survival, as hundreds of tourists in Dooars, Kalimpong, and Darjeeling were stranded in resorts and wildlife zones. 

When elephants became rescuers

Amid the chaos, an extraordinary rescue unfolded in Jaldapara National Park, where forest officials turned to their most trusted companions — trained elephants — to save trapped tourists. When a wooden bridge leading to a lodge fell under floodwaters, kumki elephants were deployed to ferry stranded guests across an inundated stretch.

“Our elephants have carried tourists through the flooded river where no vehicle could reach,” noted Ravikant Jha, assistant wildlife warden at Jaldapara, describing how handlers guided the massive animals one trip at a time.

Among those rescued was Senjuti Ghosh, a tourist from Kolkata. “We were stranded all day before forest officials brought elephants used for safaris to take us through flooded rivers to safer ground,” she explained.

Floods hit key wildlife reserves

Officials said the floods affected parts of Buxa Tiger Reserve, Jaldapara National Park and Gorumara National Park — key habitats for the one-horned Indian rhino. The forest department confirmed the deaths of one rhino, two leopards, three bison, and four sambar deer across these areas.

With forest teams stretched thin and several parts still unreachable, the department has placed affected reserves on high alert and suspended visitor entry in vulnerable sectors.

Relief operations and lessons ahead

District administrations across the region are coordinating with the forest department and disaster-response teams to monitor waterways and assist with rescue and recovery. So far, around 500 tourists trapped in the Darjeeling hills have been evacuated by state police and local teams.

As the floodwaters recede and rescue operations are underway, we are again reminded of how survival often depends on deep coexistence with nature. While North Bengal rebuilds, officials and experts say long-term planning of stronger bridges, early-warning systems, and sustainable tourism practices will be crucial. For now, the image of elephants guiding people through floodwaters stands as a reminder that sometimes, nature itself lends a helping hand.

Edited by Vidya Gowri; Feature Image from The Times Of India.

Sources:

‘500 tourists stuck in Darjeeling rescued; death toll rises to 28’: by Shiv Sahay Singh for The Hindu, Published on 7 October 2025.

‘West Bengal floods: 24 dead, dozens missing as landslides devastate Darjeeling hills; Mirik cut off’: by Economic Times, Published on 6 October 2025.

‘In rain-hit north Bengal, wildlife is casualty as swollen rivers sweep away animals’: by Ravik Bhattacharya for The Indian Express, Published on 7 October 2025

‘Rhinos have drowned, roads are now rivers: Rain fury ravages Darjeeling hills | Videos’: by Kanishka Singharia for LiveMint, Published on 6 October 2025.