Incessant rains disrupt normal life in South Dinajpur

BALURGHAT: Incessant rains accompanied by thunder and lightning threw life out of gear in South Dinajpur over the past 24 hours.

The residents were largely affected by the adverse weather. Many low-lying areas of Atreyee Colony were inundated, affecting about 40 families there.

"Atreyee river has been in spate due to heavy showers. Most of the houses located in lowlands were submerged in Atreyee Colony," said a source.

Apart from this, several bighas of agricultural lands in all eight blocks of the district were partly or fully submerged. A large part of Dakra under Chalkvrigu gram panchayat was inundated. As many as 35 families were affected. According to sources, the banks and embankments in several parts of both Gangarampur and Kushmandi were damaged and the situation may turn grim if the region receives more rainfall in the next 48 hours.

People residing close to the rivers were alerted about the rising water-level. The residents were being advised to avoid venturing into rivers Punarbhaba and Atreyee due to the prevailing heavy current in water. Yellow alert was sounded by the district administration too.

Sources said about 25 families of Jalghar, Bhatpara, Kamarpara, Amritakhanda under Balurghat block were stranded due to water logging. Standing crops were also damaged. Domestic cattle were also affected.

Several lowland areas were inundated in Kumarganj block. According to sources, the villagers of Batun, Safanagar, Molladighi, Dangarhat and Gopalganj of Kumarganj block and adjacent areas covering Baul, Rampur were rendered homeless after roofs of their huts fell down. Several connecting roads were damaged in those areas.

According to a local meteorological official, the same weather is likely to prevail for the next 72 hours due to a heavy depression active in the region.