Sikkim calamity in the north, rainfall in the south, affects several Bengal districts

The Sikkim calamity – cloudburst, subsequent flash floods, and heavy rainfall in the state’s southern region, have affected several districts in West Bengal.

A flood-like situation has emerged in West Bengal’s northern districts of Kalimpong, Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, and Cooch Behar. The cloudburst in North Sikkim, and subsequent release of water – that led to outburst in Lhonak lake, and major breach in Chungthang dam, resulted in severe flash flood from Teesta barrage. This affected the downstream districts in Bengal, an official note stated.

The Teesta river-level at Domohoni (Jalpaiguri), as per an update in the evening, was 85.18m, the danger level being 85.65m, and the extreme danger level considered to be 85.95m.

At present, four NDRF teams are deployed in north Bengal, and more companies have been dispatched. Seven SDRF teams are also deployed in three districts.

The state administration has stated that around 2,000 tourists are stranded in Sikkim, and the process is on to connect with them. A round-the-clock control room of the tourism department is also operational.

A family, comprising three members, stranded at Rangpo, Lava block, have been rescued. Thirty-nine shelter camps are in place in Kalimpong, Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, and Cooch Behar, with 6,572 persons, who have been evacuated.

As per the evening update, 14 persons – 13 from Rangpo forest valley, and one from Tarkhola – of Sangsey GP in Lava block of Kalimpong district which is on the Sikkim border, are missing. Efforts are on to trace them. Three unidentified bodies have also been recovered.

In south Bengal, Bankura, Howrah, Hooghly, Paschim Medinipur, and Purulia have been severely affected. “Due to persistent low pressure over Bengal for the last few days resulting in heavy rainfall in south Bengal and Jharkhand, discharge of water from various DVC barrages of Maithon and Panchet and reservoirs of Mukutmanipur has been reduced to 40,000 cusec and river level in Howrah and Hoogly has started receding,” the official update mentioned.

In these five southern districts, 178 shelter camps are operational, and 4,477 persons have been evacuated. Five NDRF teams, and SDRF teams are present in the region.

Besides the state secretariat, integrated control rooms are functioning in all the districts. The state health department has been asked to ensure sufficient supply of emergency medicine for dengue and malaria. Besides, leave of the state government employees has been cancelled, the note said.