4 killed, 5 injured in separate lightning strikes; flood situation remains critical

Kolkata: With water just marginally receding from some of the inundated areas, the flood situation in pockets of South Bengal districts remained grim and people continued to experience flood woes.

Around 4 people died and 5 others were injured after they were struck by lightning in two separate incidents in East Midnapore and East Burdwan. The first incident occurred at Sonachura area of Nandigram in East Midnapore when two youths Manas Jana (28) and Krishnakanta Jana (28) were working in the field. They were struck by lightning and were declared dead in a local hospital. The district administration announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each to the next of kin. The other incident happened in Madhabdihi in East Burdwan. Two people including a 24-year-old woman were killed after lightning struck them. They were also working in the field. Five others who were there also received injuries. They have been admitted to Burdwan Medical College and Hospital.

Meanwhile, the situation had worsened due to rainfall over the past few days and the discharge of water from the dams managed by the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) further aggravated the situation. People in some parts of Hooghly, East Medinipur, Howrah, South 24-Parganas are still under distress with many taking refuge to the flood centers and relief camps.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is likely to visit the flood affected areas of Ghatal on Tuesday if weather permits. Earlier she had reached the affected areas of Amta in Howrah wading through flood water last Wednesday. At least 23 people died in the flood and many have been rendered homeless.

The Army and NDRF personnel, during the day distributed food, medicines and other relief materials in the flood-hit areas of Hooghly. The district administrations have been ensuring adequate supply of food, medicines and clothes for people at the relief camps. Water will recede from the flood affected areas once the DVC stops discharging water, an official said. Meanwhile, the MeT office on Saturday predicted that there will be heavy rainfall in various North Bengal districts from Monday while in case of south the situation will improve from Monday. Some places in South Bengal may receive scattered rainfall in the next 24 hours, says the prediction.

People in most of the places in Khanakul, one of the worst-affected areas in Hooghly, have been facing power outages, a top district administrative official said. Around 25-30 houses have collapsed in Khanakul's Dhannagari area.

Water from river Bhagirathi has already overtopped banks and entered low-lying areas in various places, including Parlalpur, Koshighat and Kesharpur in Malda. According to the district administration, at least 600 families in Lalutola, Bhimgram and Gopalpur panchayat areas of Manikchak have already been shifted to safer places.

It may be mentioned that Water Resources Investigation & Development minister Manas Bhuniya along with some other ministers reached Monsuka in Ghatal on Friday with food, relief materials and water pouches. They handed over compensation of Rs 2 lakhs each to the two deceased families.

Many people have taken shelter on roofs or on the top floor of the houses in Hooghly as well. Around 40 villages are still affected in Udaynarayanpur in Howrah and many farmlands remain under water.