Flood situation worsens; 3 lakh affected, 45 pregnant women shifted

Kolkata: With several rivers flowing above danger level, the flood situation in South Bengal deteriorated as more water entered various districts since Wednesday night.

Many districts in South Bengal are affected by floods as the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) has released excessive water from its dams.

Along with this, the region had faced incessant rains in the past few days. The state government is closely monitoring the situation with district magistrates on high alert. Several pockets of Howrah, Hooghly, Bankura, West Midnapore, East Midnapore, Birbhum have been affected due to a record release of water from the DVC dams. In a significant development, as many as 45 pregnant women from nine flood-affected blocks of West Midnapore have been rescued and taken to Mother and Child Hub. It was learnt that these women are expected to give birth to their babies in the next couple of days. The district administrations are in touch with the family members of these women.

Incidentally, the state government has set up mother and child hubs in several places particularly in the island areas so that pregnant mothers can be treated without being shifted to the city.

In a parallel development, as many as 3 lakh people were affected in Howrah as several villages have gone underwater.

More than 90 rescue centres have been opened in Howrah. Around 6,000 people have taken shelter in these rescue centres. As many as 200 villages in Hooghly’s Tarakeswar are underwater.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has already given necessary instructions to Chief Secretary Manoj Pant to combat the situation and 10 senior officials on the ranks of principal secretaries/secretaries of various departments have been sent to multiple south Bengal districts to combat

the situation.