Cyclone Komen spells death and misery

Heavy rains have been predicted for the next 24 hours. In West Bengal, incessant rains have left large parts of Kolkata and 12 districts inundated, said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. At least 39 people perished, and over 1 lakh people ended up in relief camps after 1.8 lakh houses were damaged. Farmland of over 21 lakh hectare has been submerged. Banerjee tweeted on Sunday morning: “I have postponed my trip to N Bengal. Again heavy rainfall in Bengal, Jharkhand & Odisha and dams are at dangerous level …” She also visited the flood-hit Udaynarayanpur in Howrah District to take stock of the situation on Saturday.

In Gujarat, the death toll due to heavy rain in northern part of the state rose to 53. State emergency control room officials said 28 deaths have occurred in the worst-affected Banaskantha district. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to Chief Minister <g data-gr-id="64">Anandiben</g> Patel and assured her of central help. A total of 14 teams comprising 592 jawans of different agencies including the National Disaster Response Force, the Border Security Force, the State Reserve Police and five Air Force helicopters have been pressed into service for the relief and rescue work with around 3,000 people been rescued thus far.

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Haribhai Chaudhari said that the Centre will provide all the necessary assistance to help the flood affected people in north Gujarat. After reviewing the flood situation in worst affected areas of north Gujarat, Chaudhari said that the state government was taking all necessary steps with the Centre also pitching in to help restore normalcy in the worst affected areas. Patel also announced various relief measures for the flood affected people.

Meanwhile, Manipur witnessed the death of 20 people killed in a landslide triggered by heavy rain at Zoumoal village in Chandel district. Police said that incessant rain during the past few days triggered massive landslides leading to the collapse of almost all houses in the Zoumoal village in Khengjoi Sub-Division. Relief and rescue works are being carried out by the Assam Rifles and villagers. Several districts as well as the Capital, Imphal, have also been submerged. Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh has also pushed for immediate rescue and relief works.

In Odisha, almost five lakh people are sheltered in relief camps.  The overall flood situation has improved with water in the three major rivers receding. Also, there has been unceasing rains in parts of Jharkhand’s Giridih and Chatra districts too, leading to inundation in low-lying areas with rivers in the district flowing above or very close to the danger mark. The Jharkhand government has remarked that it is closely monitoring the situation.

Normal life was also disrupted in several parts of Himachal Pradesh as heavy rains triggered landslides and disrupted vehicular traffic. Link roads in interiors were blocked at numerous places and vehicular traffic was suspended on about 100 roads including 26 roads in Rampur and Kinnaur areas, 39 roads in Sirmaur, 5 in Rohru and Dodra-Kwar, 19 in Mandi, 15 in Dalhousie and one in Palampur.

However, no national highway was closed and PWD engineers claimed that 80 per cent roads will remain open on Sunday. The local Met office has predicted rain and thunderstorm at many places in the state over next six days and warned of heavy rain at isolated places in the mid and lower hills regions.