FLOOD SITUATION

Flood situation grave in Cooch Behar, Army called

Due to incessant downpour in the catchment areas water levels of all the rivers in Cooch Behar are rising. The water levels of Teesta, Torsa and Mansai already crossed danger marks. Residents of the areas near the rivers have been alerted and advised to shift to safer places. The district administration called the Army to start rescue operation in Mekhliganj to save the stranded people.

As the water levels have crossed danger marks Red signal has been flashed on the Teesta and the Jaldhaka in Mekhliganj sub-division and on the Mansai in Mathabhanga sub-division upto the Bangladesh border. Yellow signal has been flashed on the Torsa in Cooch Behar Sadar-sub-division. Water levels of other rivers like Kaljani, Raidak-I and Raidak-II are also rising rapidly towards the danger mark.

The district magistrate of Cooch Behar Ms Smaraki Mahapatra has called the Army to rescue the marooned people of areas like 25-Teesta Payosthi, 40-Payosthi, Nijtaraf, Kuchlibari and Paniyarchar in Mekhliganj. It was learnt that the Army left to the area from Binnaguri.

When asked, the DM said as the water level of the Teesta crossed the danger mark they called the Army to help the administration to rescue the marooned people. About 1,500 people got water-marooned in an alluvial land of the river. On the otherhand, about 400 families have been rescued from different areas in Tufanganj there and shifted to higher areas, she added. The administration is ready to combat any situation. Adequate quantity of relief materials is there to help the distressed people, she claimed.

Local sources said that more than 5,000 people got marooned at Mekhliganj as the water of the inflated Teesta sneaked into the lower areas. More than 1,000 residents of villages in Tufanganj-II block got stranded in the overflowed river water.