39 killed as torrential rains pound E. Indian state

The number of people affected was not immediately known, police said.

Almost two lakh people are affected due to incessant rain over the last few days, said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Relief materials have been distributed to the affected population.

A girl was swept away by water current in west Bengal’s Murshidabad district, while a woman died in a house collapse in Howrah as the flood toll shot up to 47 on Saturday due to heavy overnight rains across the state.

Ms. Banerjee then left for Udaynarayanpur in Howrah district, which has been badly affected, to see the flood situation for herself.

“Asked if she would revisit the British capital, she said”, I will definitely come back.

In Nadia, four deaths were reported while West Midnapore saw two fatalities.

4,72,645 hectares was damaged due to the floods. A population of 36,90,627 are affected.

The State Government has deployed 121 boats for rescue and relief operations. A total of 5,672 cattle is also lost in the floods. “We have opened 124 medical camps”, she said. At least 450 villagers have been evacuated from the village where river Bhagirathi had overflown.

According to an Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) release in Kolkata, heavy to very heavy rain might occur at isolated places of Purulia, Bankura, Birbhum, Bardhaman, Howrah, East and West Midnapur districts of Gangetic West Bengal.

Heavy rains have also been predicted at isolated places in Bihar, and Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts of sub-Himalayan West Bengal.

“Waterlogging is still there at added areas in ward no 122, 125, 126”. Today, it’s 70 per cent excess rainfall, she said. Several hundreds living near riverbanks were being moved to a safer location. The SP said that a police team has been sent to the spot which is located near Indo-Myanmar border.

The situation has worsened in Miriti village following the collapse of a bridge that connects it with the rest of the district.

She said that high tides and storms lashing the state since yesterday compounded the situation but the administration was on a alert. Ministers have been asked to visit affected location to review relief works.

“All the major rivers in the state are flowing below the danger level”.

At least 150 relief camps were set up in the district and 8,000 to 10,000 people were shifted there.

Troops of Southern Command and South Western Command have been involved in rescue operations in flood-affected areas of Gujarat and parts of Rajasthan.

In Myanmar, 15 have been killed due to the floods and 1,50,000 people have been affected.

Many are sheltered in monasteries.