Incessant rains due and the subsequent deluge claimed five lives in Kolkata and adjoining districts on Tuesday. While two persons died when parts of an old dilapidated two storied building collapsed in the Taltala area in central Kolkata three others died in the districts of south Bengal.
According to Kolkata Police at around 12.25 pm the old building collapsed. Three fire engines along with personnel of disaster management group were pressed into rescue operation, which went for several hours.
“At around 4.25 pm the bodies of two persons-Himadri Pahar (38) and Hansa Shaw (20) were extricated from the debris and sent to Calcutta Medical College and Hospital for legal procedure,” a statement by Kolkata police said.
Meanwhile, the situation remained grim in Birbhum, Purulia, Bankura, and Hooghly district of south Bengal. While two persons died in Purulia when a wall collapsed on them, one person died in Birbhum when he was washed away during the day.
In Purulia two persons-Sikandar Mirza (30) and Siaz Khan (12)- died and five got injured in the Nanduara village in the district’s Raghunathpur sub-division when an earthen boundary wall of a house collapsed on them, District Magistrate of Purulia Alokesh Prasad Roy told The Hindu.
He also said that so far waterlogging has not turned out to be severe in the district with only some areas of Jhalda I and Barabazr block witnessing some waterlogging.
In Birbhum one person has died due to drowning in the afternoon in the Hatiea village of Labhpur block. While locals said that the situation in Labhpur has become “grim” with about 17 villages facing heavy waterlogging, the District Magistrate P.Mohangandhi claimed otherwise. “Labhpur being a low lying area, there is waterlogging in some areas. But so far it is not a cause of concern,” said Mr.Gandhi.
As for Hooghly a senior district police official said that was a breach in an embankment on the Rupnarayan river at the Dhannobadi village under the Khanakul Assembly seat. “As a result nearly 16 villages in the area are facing severe waterlogging. The district administration is keeping an eye on the situation,” he said. One person Shyamal Sengupta (38) got washed away on Monday. However, Superintendent of Police Sukesh Jain said that “Mr.Sengupta’s body has not been found yet.” Areas such as Khanakul, Goghal, Arambagh in the district are facing severe waterlogging.
In Bankura 1,000 people had to be to be shifted to relief camps due to severe waterlogging. “ There is severe waterlogging in Bankura II, Joypur, Kotalpur, Patrasayer, Mejhia and Onda blocks. We have set up six relief camps,” District Magistrate of Bankura Moumita Godara said.
Meanwhile State’s Irrigation Minister Rajib Banerjee accused the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) for releasing waters from dams “without consulting” the State government. “The situation has become a cause of concern for us. Despite our repeated letters the DV is releasing water without consulting us,” he said. According to the Indian Meteorological Department, Bengal is likely to receive heavy rain at isolated places on Wednesday.
