Situation improves in flood-ravaged parts of West Bengal

Boys walk on a railway track washed out due to floods at Belbari near Gangarampur in South Dinajpur district of West Bengal on Monday. (Source: PTI)

The situation in the flood-ravaged districts of north West Bengal improved further as water receded from most of the submerged areas in the absence of major rainfall in the region, a senior official of the state disaster management department said on Wednesday. There was no report of any death from the six deluge-hit districts. The flood toll has plateaued at 152, he said adding that distribution of relief material, including cooked and dry food, pulses and medicines continued.

Out of nearly 800 relief camps opened in the six districts of Coochbehar, Malda, Uttar Dinajpur, Dakshin Dinajpur, Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri, around 500 are operating wherein close to four lakh people area putting up, he said.

In the worst-affected Malda district, many areas are still under water, but the situation is improving as markets reopened with the receding of water from the inundated areas. “We are monitoring the situation 24 hours. District magistrate, BDOs are constantly on the job,” the officer said.