Bengal flood toll 97, situation improves

 The death toll in floods in West Bengal rose to 97 today even as the situation improved with the water level receding slowly following little or no rain and reduced water discharge from barrages.

Disaster Management Department officials said the toll rose to 97 after 12 more deaths were reported today.

As the water level receded some people in the relief camps started returning to their homes.

"Altogether, 2,719 relief camps have been set up to shelter nearly 4.19 lakh marooned people. Also 592 medical camps have been opened," the officials said.

A total 89 lakh people have been affected and 1,26,594 houses were damaged. As many as 4,24,140 houses have been damaged partly, while crop over an area of 9,45,433 hectares has been damaged.

The affected areas included 235 blocks, 55 municipal bodies, four municipal corporations and 814 gram panchayats (GPs) covering 17,546 villages, they said.

Steps were also being taken to protect the affected people from health hazards and medicines and drinking water pouches were being distributed, they added.