Flood claims two lives in Cooch Behar

 

COOCH BEHAR, July 28: The ongoing flood situation started taking its toll in Cooch Behar today. One Sahidul Islam (24) got drowned in swelling Torsa river at Damodarpur village under Takagachh Rajarhat Gram Panchayat in Cooch Behar Sadar sub-division this noon. He was reportedly going to take shelter at a safer place leaving the waterlogged village when the river water washed away him. In another incident one Sudhir Barman (50) was drowned in Mansai river at Paradubi village under Mathabhanga-II block this afternoon. The body is still missing. Search operation is on to recover his body.

 

Following incessant downpour at the upper catchment areas and on the plains water level of different rivers is still flowing over the danger mark in Cooch Behar district. Yellow danger signal has been flashed on Mansai, Sankosh, Raidak, Jaldhaka, Teesta and Torsa. There is still a rising trend of water level in the rivers that are flowing through this district. It is feared that if the downpour continues at upper catchment areas, the water levels of all the major rivers would cross the Red danger mark very soon.

 

At Jorsimuli village under Kedarhat Gram Panchayat area in Mathabhanga 500 families turned marooned by flood water and they failed to come out to safer places. District administration sought Army's co-operation to rescue them. District magistrate Mr Rajesh Kumar Sinha rushed to the spot this afternoon. In Cooch Behar-II block, overflowed water of Torsa marooned about 500 families. Erosion also started to make the situation worse. About 50 dwelling residences were damaged due to erosion at Karisal village.

 

About 50,000 people of six blocks in Cooch Behar district were affected by the flood situation. A few thousand distressed people took shelter both at government relief camps and highlands. Cooch Behar DM Mr Rajesh Kumar Sinha said more than fifty relief camps were set up at different areas where about 10,000 flood-affected people took shelter.

 

The rising trend of water level of Torsa is causing concern to the residents of the nearby villages and also of Cooch Behar town. Seeing the water level's rapid rising trend a large number of dwellers of char-land of Torsa adjacent to Cooch Behar town started taking shelter on the town-saving dyke.

 

The rainfall recorded in the last 24 hours at Cooch Behar is 54.60-mm, at Tufanganj it is 153.80-mm and at Mathabhanga it is 48.80-mm. Total rainfall recorded in this season in Cooch Behar is 1481.50-mm, in Tufanganj 2014.70-mm and in Mathabhanga 1597.80-mm. A warning for more heavy rainfall during the next 24-hours reached at the district head quarter today.

  

Following the flood like situation the authorities alerted all the residents of the villages adjacent to the rivers in protected and unprotected areas in this district. All the SDOs, BDOs and others concerned were alerted by the district administration to keep constant watch on the situation. They were instructed to get ready with rescue operation facilities and relief materials including tarpaulin sheets and dry foods. []