Bengal rains intensify: Death toll 47

Large parts of the city were hit by flooding following incessant heavy rainfall, measuring over 170mm, since Friday night due to the effect of Cyclone Komen.

The local government has been rescuing people from marooned areas and setting up temporary shelters for the affected, while the Indian army has been called in by the government to help in rescue and relief operations. The Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force is engaged in the relief and rescue operations and so far, 1,574 persons have been shifted to safer places, a Ministry communique said.

Rajasthan has experienced excessive rainfall in most of its districts. The situation is grim particularly in districts of Jalore, Jhalawar, Baran, Sirohi, Barmer and Dungarpur.

20 villagers were swept away by landslide in Joumol village in Manipur. “While four were declared brought dead at the district hospital in Bashirhat, the others are critically injured and undergoing treatment”, Additional Superintendent of Police, North Parganas, Bhaskar Mukherjee said.

A source close to her said the deep depression over West Bengal and the resultant incessant rains have raised a danger of floods in the state – and Banerjee would like to be back “with her people“, if this happens. “Another 150 villagers are still stuck and the army is carrying out rescue operations”, said Burdwan district magistrate Soumitra Mohan.

According to state secretariat officials, Singh during his conversation with the chief minister discussed the situation in all affected districts. Rainfall at most places with isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall would occur over east Madhya Pradesh on 3 and 4 August. “We pre-poned our trip because of situation”, Banerjee said on Twitter during the day.

Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea, it said.

“I appeal to residents of these areas to leave their homes and take shelter in relief centres for the next two days”, the chief minister said. Burdwan, Murshidabad, West Midnapore, and Howrah were among the districts affected.

More than 630 peoples have been rescued from various districts in Rajasthan, it said.

The Met Office said as a result of the cyclonic storm, heavy rain (724 cm) may occur at isolated places in West Bengal over the next 72 hours. Areas in and around Imphal and its outskirts were submerged in flood water. So far, around seven lakh people have been affected…

In Myanmar, 15 have been killed due to the floods and 1,50,000 people have been affected. The rescue operations remain hampered due to the floods.