West Bengal flood situation grim

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who cut short her visit to the United Kingdom when she learnt that a cyclone was approaching her state, left for flood-hit Udaynarayanpur in Howrah district on Saturday.

Announcing a compensation of Rs 4 lakh for the kin of those who died, Banerjee said the deaths were caused either by lightning, wall collapse, electrocution, snake bite or drowning since the onset of heavy to very heavy rains.

Kolkata: Heavy rain may occur at isolated places in West Bengal, with the depression formed over the Bay of Bengal intensifying into a cyclone, the met department said on Thursday. She is expected to visit more flood affected areas soon, officials said.

Several NDRF and Army battalions have been directed to rescue the people stranded in the flood like situation and they have been taking the people living on the river banks to the safer places as well.

Meanwhile, the regional Met office has forecast heavy to very heavy rains at a few places in the Gangetic and sub-Himalayan West Bengal till Tuesday.

Almost two lakh houses have been damaged while over a lakh residents are in relief camps due to the incessant-rain triggered flood-like situation in the state, Banerjee said on Saturday. Over the two days, the city recorded rainfall measuring 170mm due to cyclone “Komen”.

Speaking about the flood situation in the State after a review meeting, the Chief Minister said 12 districts in the Gangetic plains were affected, while the number of rain or flood related deaths did not increase and the toll stood at 39. “Our officers are there”, he added.

“At Sealdah, EMU local train services are delayed and we are running trains on Sunday schedule”, he said.

Normal train services have also been restored under South Eastern Railways.

Troops of Southern Command and South Western Command have been involved in rescue operations in flood-affected areas of Gujarat and parts of Rajasthan. 132 boats have been deployed for rescue operations, it added.

She advised people in vulnerable areas to take shelter in relief camps to avoid “untoward incidents”.

The state government has also distributed drinking water bottles in the affected areas.

The Army Flood Relief Columns are located in Banaskantha and Bhuj in Gujarat, and Chirpatiya, Dhanera and Sanchor in Rajasthan.

A team from the Army as well as Gujarat Police was tasked with relief and evacuation on July 31. At least 450 villagers have been evacuated from the village where river Bhagirathi had overflown.

Several roads in north and south Kolkata remained under knee-deep water owing to the rains.