More than two lakh people have been rescued and moved to shelter homes as multiple houses lay damaged in six districts of West Bengal, where water released from Damodar Valley Corporation dams, followed by heavy rain last week, has inundated streets and hamlets. Several areas in Purba Bardhaman, Paschim Bardhaman, Paschim Medinipur, Hooghly, Howrah and South 24 Parganas districts are reeling under flood, with people struggling to wade through waist-deep water, a senior official of the disaster management department said.
Over one lakh tarpaulin, 1,000 MT of rice, thousands of drinking water pouches and clean clothes have been sent to the rescue shelters for those affected, he stated. "We haven't yet estimated the loss incurred due to the flood. As of now, our sole priority is to rescue the affected," the official underlined.
Water from Rupnarayan and Dwarakeswar rivers have overtopped banks and entered residential areas, flooding homes in Hooghly district, he said. "At least one lakh people have been moved to safety in Hooghly alone after their houses were damaged. There are several others who are still stranded on the roof of their homes or elevated structures," he noted, adding that NDRF personnel are working to rescue them.
State panchayat minister Subrata Mukherjee, who visited the flood-hit areas of Ghatal in Paschim Medinipur district during the day, said he would apprise Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of the situation, and steps would be taken accordingly to tackle the situation. "I have witnessed several floods in the past, but this time the situation is terrible… There are places completely submerged by flood waters. The CM had asked me to look into the matter. After conducting this survey, I will report to her," Mukherjee maintained.
Meanwhile, a DVC official said that water was last discharged from its dams on July 31. The corporation had 1.14 lakh cusec of water on Saturday, he said.
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