Flood alert for 10 districts in Bengal issued

Considering the continuous downpour since August 5 and the release of 45,000 cusec of water by Damodor Valley Corporation (DVC), the Bengal government has issued a flood alert for 10 districts in south Bengal with the warning that the situation may aggravate further. According to the weather forecast, the rainfall may well continue for the next six days. And if it happens, it will directly affect the seasonal crops very badly as well as the normal livelihood of people living particularly in south Bengal.

Talking to media, State Irrigation Minister Manas Bhuniya on Monday confirmed, “The districts for which a flood alert has been issued are Malda, Murshidabad, North and South 24-Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly, Burdwan, East and Paschim Medinipore and Jalpaiguri.” As per government sources, the major preparation regarding relief and disaster management has already been done and a 24-hour control room (no: 033-23218341) has been opened in Salt Lake, Kolkata. However, the large parts of Paschim Medinipore, Hooghly and Howrah seem to be the most sensitive. Particularly in West Midnapore, there is already trepidation of floods. DVC on Sunday released 25,000 cusec water and another 30,000 cusec water on Monday, which will flow over Silaboti, Kansai, Subarnarekha, Keleghai and Kapaleswari rivers.

According to the flood experts, as the embankments of these rivers are already weak and the sudden flow of water may cause breaches in them. Same is the situation for the embankments of Ganga in Malda and Murshidabad districts too. But till date the situation in Ghatal, Sabong and Debra of Paschim Medinipore are the worst. Over 145 mm rainfall recorded in Basirhaat in North 24 Parganas on Monday only.