Several areas in S 24-Pgns inundated

KOLKATA: Large parts of Sunderbans in South 24-Parganas covering areas like Sagar, Gosaba, Namkhana, Patharpratima and Basanti were badly affected by the very severe cyclonic storm Yaas. The heavy rain in the coastal belt coupled with spring tide resulted in a phenomenal rise in water level as several areas got flooded due to breaching of embankments, rendering massive loss in property and livelihood like agriculture, fishery etc. More than 3.20 lakh people in the district were evacuated and sheltered in various flood and relief centres.

Abhishek Banerjee, Trinamool Congress MP from Diamond Harbour, visited a number of relief centres at Diamond Harbour and assured the people of all support from the state government.

"In Sagar alone — out of 42 mouzas — 26 have been flooded and 12 have been inundated. The Kapil Muni Ashram at Gangasagar, which is an important tourist destination, has also been waterlogged. At least 62,000 people were shifted to flood centres from Sagar alone and arrangements for their food had also been made," Bankim Hazra, state Sundarban Affairs minister said.

Rescue teams of the Disaster Management group and NDRF rescued a number of people from villages adjoining rivers. The district administration has already started repair work on a war footing of breached embankments at Ramgopalpur under Masjidbati Gram Panchayat(GP) in Canning, at Hedia in Canning II, at Ramchandra khali GP in Basanti, at Nurpur in Diamond Harbour I Block, at Radharanipur in Jyotishpur GP under Basanti police station to name a few. Riverine areas in Maheshtala and Budge Budge were also inundated due to breach of embankments following, which restoration work was taken up on a war footing.

District Magistrate P Ulaganathan monitored relief distribution at Uttar Chandanpiri village in Haripur GP, Namkhana along with senior officials of the district administration. He personally spoke to the villagers and local authorities for an assessment for further action.

The Forest division of South 24-Parganas covering Sunderbans also bore the brunt of the dual effect of Yaas and spring tide. As many as 15 forest quarters, 19 places for drinking water, 200 metres of fencing acting as tiger barrier, 150 metre embankment, 240 metre animal fencing and 850 metre boundary wall and one jetty was damaged.

The boundary wall of crocodile breeding centres at Jharkhali and Bhagabatpur was also totally damaged. Plantation spreading over 500 hectares under forest area also suffered damage.