West Bengal flood situation under control, as toll climbs to 100

Kolkata, Aug 7: Three more deaths were reported today, taking the flood toll in West Bengal to 100.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had said yesterday that the flood situation in the state is "now under control" and the review committee, constituted to assess the natural calamity, is monitoring the situation.

As water level recedes, some people in the relief camps have started returning to their homes. Disaster Management Department sources said three more deaths were reported today, taking the toll to 100.

"Altogether, 2,590 relief camps have been set up to shelter nearly 4.52 lakh marooned people and 835 medical camps were opened," the sources said, adding the total number of affected people was over 93 lakh.

As many as 1,36,256 houses were damaged and 4,90,237 houses damaged partly. Crop over an area of 9,64,689 hectares has been damaged.

The affected areas included 235 blocks, 55 municipal bodies, four municipal corporations and 814 gram panchayats (GPs) covering 19,939 villages.

So far, 11,065 cattle heads were lost, the sources said, adding shelter for those surviving would be made after the water recedes.

Steps were also being taken to protect the affected people from health hazards, while medicines and drinking water pouches were being distributed, the sources said.

Meanwhile, sources in the DVC today said that the quantum of water released from its dams had come down - 20,000 cusecs from the Maithon and 35,000 cusecs from Panchet till last night.

PTI