16 dead, 2.5 lakh displaced as heavy rain, water discharged from dams flood Bengal

Sixteen people have died and at least 2.5 lakh were displaced in six districts of West Bengal in the last couple of days as heavy rain and discharge of waters from the dams of the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) have inundated large areas. According to sources in the State administration, the deaths took place due to collapsing of walls and electrocution.

The State administration has set up 40 relief centres in the affected districts of East and West Bardhaman, West Medinipur, Howrah, Hooghly and South 24 Paraganas. State administration sources said that about 1 lakh tarpaulin, thousands of drinking water pouches and 1,000 metric tonnes of rice have been sent to relief shelters so far.

The State Government has reached out to the Army and the Air Force who are conducting search and rescue operations in speed boats and helicopters in Hooghly district. Several people including a 101-year-old woman and a nine-month-old child were rescued by Air Force helicopters as they were stranded on their rooftops as their house was submerged.

District officials said that many are still stranded in the affected areas and the search and rescue operation will continue. They further revealed that the State Government was gathering information about the 16 persons who lost their lives.

Sources said that out of the 16 people who died, five were swept away in the flood and the rest died due to electrocution.

Two river banks were recently breached, creating a flood-like situation in the six districts.

“If the Centre conducted regular dredging of the DVC reservoirs were conducted such situation could have been avoided to a great extent,” State’s Irrigation Minister Saumen Mahapatra told reporters during his visit to Hooghly district on Tuesday.

State administration sources said that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at a meeting at the State Secretariat expressed concern over the situation and instructed ministers to visit the affected districts. She also asked the concerned district officials to ensure swift delivery of relief materials to affected people. She will visit the affected areas in Hooghly district on Wednesday.