Flood-like situation in Bengal after heavy rains

Heavy and incessant rainfall have indundated stretches in several districts of West Bengal, officials said on Monday.

According to the state government, the affected districts include Birbhum, Murshidabad, Burdwan and South 24 Parganas where swelling rivers have added to inundation.

However, a top state government official said the situation was improving with the water level going down.

"The water levels are receding. We are taking care of everything. Since it has not rained as expected hopefully things will improve by tomorrow (Tuesday)," Home Secretary Basudeb Banerjee, who is heading the task force to monitor the flood situation, told IANS.

He said the situation is under control and the state government is conducting camps in the affected regions. Leaves of district administration officials have been cancelled in the wake of alerts, he said.

The worst-affected area was Labhpur in Birbhum where inundation led to segregation of several stretches, he said.

According to private weather forecaster Skymet, as much as 80 percent area of Birbhum, Murshidabad, and Hooghly districts is currently affected.

In Birbhum, an increase in water levels in the Kuye river has damaged a dyke while in Murshidabad, roads and land holdings in some areas have been submerged completely, said officials of the district administration.

The meteorological department has forecast "heavy to very heavy rainfall" in several districts, including Murshidabad, Burdwan, Howrah, North and South 24 Parganas as well as Kolkata, for the next 24 hours.

The heavy rains that have disrupted normal life in Bengal is due to the low pressure over Bay of Bengal and adjoining coastal areas of Bangladesh, the Met office said.