East and West Midnapore flood leaping heap of death and destruction

Midnapur, June 19 : The flash flood waters in two Midnapur Districts started receding fast to-day- much faster than it came but not before leaving a heap of death & destruction in its two-day spell. Almost 50% of a year’s average rainfall was reported in the last two days bringing about the huge calamity.

While 9 deaths were formally admitted by the District Magistrate N. S. Nigam in West Midnapur District 15 deaths were unofficially claimed. DM said 10 lakhs were affected in 26 blocks in the District. Standing crops in 61000 hectars of land were lost. Property loss is being estimated. Still one & a half lakh people stand marooned even after a similar number of people were rescued to-day & kept in 84 camps. Dryfood packets were airdropped in Sabang Sakrail & Mohanpur today DM added.

Contradicting the figures however Manas Bhunia Congress MLA from Sbang claimed that neither a single food packet was airdropped in Sabang today nor any other relief material sent there. He said that he will meet the Chief Minister in Kolaghat to-morrow & bring to his notice the total chaos in distributing relief by the District Administration.

In East Midnapur District the situation also started improving to-day with all big rivers started receding to-day. 4 lives were lost so far in the District as claimed by Niranjan Sihi, Sabhatipati Zilla-Parsad said. Unconfirmed sources however put the death toll to 6. 8 lakh people in 6 blocks have been affected. Airdropping of food packets in Patashpur & Bhagabanpur – the two most affected blo9cks took place Sihi said. 8000 people have been rescued so far.

In Bhagabanpur relief materials were looted. Poolice had to resort to mild lathi charge for dispersing people.

Meanwhile West Bengal Power Development Corp has decided to form a committee to investigate the Kolaghat power plant from flash floods.

“We will form two-member committee to look into the matter and advise for the measures. The flooding on June 17 at the plant premises was first in its history but we do not want this to happen again,” WBPDCL Executive Director P K Chakraborty told the reporters.

Along with roadlink rail links between West Bengal's capital city and southern India too remained cut off for third day today as flood waters damaged a bridge between Narayangarh and Bakhrabad stations.

'”The bridge number 168 in West Midnapore district has been damaged and girder washed out,” said South Eastern Railways' chief public relations officer Archana Srivastav.

Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee would visit West and East Midnapore districts tomorrow and hold a review meeting at Kolaghat regarding the flood affected area.