Howrah: People moving out to a safer place as flood waters submerge their village in Udaynarayanpur sub-division in Howrah District, West Bengal. (PTI Photo)
The situation in rain-hit Bengal is improving slowly, officials said, adding that there has been no heavy rain since Friday. The state’s relief operations, meanwhile, gathered momentum with the administration reaching some of the badly affected areas. Major rivers in south Bengal are receding too. So far, 28 deaths have been reported from rain-affected southern and western districts of the state although some media reports peg the toll at 31.
“The situation is improving. We are now able to reach several affected pockets with relief material. I am keeping a close watch on the situation,” said Irrigation Minister Rajib Banerjee. “There are a few areas which are still waterlogged. Several areas in Ghatal, Pratapur, Silabati, Howrah and Hooghly are still under knee to chest-deep water. Fortunately we have reports that there won’t be heavy rain for the next couple of days, this will help us further reach people with relief materials. Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) released 80,000 cusec water (WHEN). If it doesn’t rain further and DVC too releases water within limits, the situation will get back to normal hopefully soon.”
The Army’s Eastern Command said that the IAF helicopter successfully dropped food and medicines in affected areas. About nine people were rescued from West Midnapore, including five children and three women. Medicines, food and water, upto 500 kg, has been air dropped. A second helicopter left from Barrackpore at 4.20pm with 500 kilograms food and medicines on Saturday. According to the weather department chances of heavy rain in next couple of hours are low. “Partly cloudy weather may cause a little rain but there won’t be heavy rain for next couple of days. The weather condition has improved”, said an official at Met department.
“Water is receding in all areas and now we are able to send relief materials to all the places. Around 31 relief camps are functioning in the district with more than 5500 people in them. Twenty medical teams have been sent to flood affected areas. People are being provided dry food and water pouches, tarpaulins and disaster relief kits is being givem to those whose houses have been damaged. The kit includes household items like utensils and clothes among others.
Post flood relief works have started in these areas which include disinfecting water sources, urgent repair of damaged embankments and restoration of connectivity on roads washed away in floods. Farmers who have lost seeds in this sowing season will also be provided seeds so that they can sow crop again”, said DM (East Burdwan) Anurag Srivastav.
Several areas in West Midnapore, Howrah, Hooghly, Bankura and West Burdwan districts of the state have been flooded due to incessant rain and allegedly due to release of water by DVC. Breaches in the embankment had led to inundation of Jamalpur block in Burdwan, Chowdhurypara in West Midnapore, Udayanarayanpur, Punsurah and Khankul in Hooghly. As per government sources about 23 lakh people have been hit in over 165 inundated villages.
