Army joins rescue effort in flood-hit West Bengal

WATER WORLD: The Keleghai River is flowing above the danger mark.

Featured Blog

Rajdeep Sardesai

Television, for politicians with a vision

Featured Slideshows

Related Headlines

powered by

• Heavy rains wreak havoc in eastern India
• 20 lakh marooned in Orissa floods
• Floods throw normal life out of gear in Orissa

Keywords: Assam, Orissa

Kolkata: Army has been called in to help in the rescue operations in flood-hit West Bengal. Heavy rains have led to floods in many districts of the state with 11 people reportedly dead.

Over 16 lakh people have been affected with East and West Midnapore districts bearing the brunt.

On Thursday morning 12 people were reported to be missing in East Midnapore.

The army is carrying out rescue operations, but it has been hampered due to poor connectivity.

Defence spokesperson Group Captain RK Das said, "Three columns of the Army have been deployed since yesterday in the districts of East and West Midnapore ,and locations are Narayangarh and Sabang blocks. The Indian Air Force has also pitched in. Patrol crafts have been deployed. IAF could rescue 80 people who are marooned in this place. The rescue efforts from Army and Air Force is in full swing. Army has deployed about 200 personnel and the IAF helped with speed boats and helicopters. Over 12 lakh people are affected here."

The Keleghai River is flowing above the danger mark. On Wednesday, an Indian Air Force helicopter made an aerial survey of the affected areas.

The two districts have registered a record 700 mm rainfall in the past four days and the situation has been worsened by the 3.50 lakh cusecs of water discharged from a reservoir in Jharkhand.

Assam and Orissa, too, have been affected by floods. In Assam at least 14 people have been swept away in floodwaters in the Lakhimpur district.

Border Security Forces (BSF) jawans have also rescued nearly 25,000 people and efforts are also being made to repair the damaged portion of National Highway 52.

A 25-meter stretch of the highway was washed away in Lakhimpur district on Wednesday.

In Orissa, rains have affected more than 5 lakh people. Flash floods in north Orissa claimed at least four lives and 150 villages are submerged.

Large tracts of railway lines are underwater and several trains of the South Eastern Railways have been cancelled.