Rivers in spate breach embankments in south Bengal, forecast of more rain

According to farmers, water from rivers, especially salt water from rivers close to the Bay of Bengal, will destroy paddy crops and vegetables and kill fresh water fish. State irrigation department officials said they were closely observing the situation.

Sunderban Unnayan Parishad (Development Corporation) chairperson Bankim Hazra said the irrigation department had allotted funds for the construction and repair of new and existing earthen dams in the region. “Irrigation department will start construction work of pucca dams at several places from November,” added Hazra, who is the MLA of Sagar constituency.

In South 24 Parganas district, areas such as Bakkhali, Kakdwip, Namkhana, Sagar and Pathar Pratima were submerged. In the sea-side resort towns of Digha, Shankarpur, Tajpur and Mandarmani, high tidal waves have inundated several areas.

In North 24 Parganas district, embankments were damaged and areas inundated in Minakhan, while in Paschim Medinipur district, Garbeta and Chandrakona were affected. In Purba Medinipur, Tamluk and Kolaghat were submerged. Several mud houses and farmlands were destroyed at these places.

In Kolkata, areas such as Behala, Alipore, Parnashree, Thakurpukur, Muktaram Babu Street, and Thanthania reported waterlogging. Since Monday, the city has received over 116 mm of rainfall, while Dum Dum and Salt Lake have recorded 97 and 73 mm of rainfall.

People in south Bengal apprehended that more rains could cause further damage to the embankments at several places.

The Met department warned of heavy rainfall in South Bengal, especially in the coastal districts of South and North 24 Parganas, and Purba Medinipur, with the possible formation of a new low pressure area in northwest Bay of Bengal on August 23 or 24.

“If the low-pressure area is formed then south Bengal districts will continue to witness moderate to heavy rainfall till August 26. As a result, the low-lying areas in the state will witness waterlogging. The coastal districts of East Midnapore and South 24 Parganas will experience heavy rainfall,” said a Met department official.

The south Bengal districts have been experiencing moderate to heavy rain since August 19 due to a low-pressure area in the north Bay of Bengal.

Fishermen, who had been earlier advised not to venture into the sea till Friday, have now been instructed to remain on land from August 23.