HOOGHLY/MIDNAPORE: The Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) is scheduled to release another 65,000 cusec of water from Maithan and Panchet dams in the next 24 hours, a move that threatens to aggravate the flood situation in Hooghly, Howrah and Burdwan.
Thursday, however, had brought some relief to some flood-stricken south Bengal areas as water levels there began to recede in certain localities as less water was discharged from DVC barrages and reservoirs, including those at Maithan, Panchet and Mukutmanipur. River levels in Howrah and Hoogly had started receding, There was no report of rivers overflowing their banks. But DVC’s fresh announcement cast a shadow of uncertainty over the recovery efforts.
So far, 5,631 people from low-lying areas in Howrah, Hooghly, West Midnapore, Purulia, and Bankura, which were flooded by swelling rivers following downpours and water released from dams, were relocated to 166 temporary shelters and camps. To help out in the rescue and relief operations, five National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams continued to be deployed in strategic locations, two teams in Howrah, two in Hooghly and one in West Medinipur. State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams have also been mobilized in the affected districts.
South Bengal recently experienced a meteorological anomaly of unprecedented proportions. Barisha village in Pingla in West Midnapur recorded an astonishing 520mm of rainfall in just 24 hours. This record-breaking deluge, unlike anything seen in recent memory, has surprised residents and experts alike. The extreme rainfall extended beyond Barisha, affecting the entire Bengal region. The weather office indicated that the rain might persist, raising concerns. Experts at the Alipore weather office suggested that a shift in the low-pressure system from Jharkhand towards eastern Bengal might have contributed to this extraordinary downpour. Additionally, the prolonged presence of the low-pressure system in the affected area could have exacerbated the situation.
Thursday, however, had brought some relief to some flood-stricken south Bengal areas as water levels there began to recede in certain localities as less water was discharged from DVC barrages and reservoirs, including those at Maithan, Panchet and Mukutmanipur. River levels in Howrah and Hoogly had started receding, There was no report of rivers overflowing their banks. But DVC’s fresh announcement cast a shadow of uncertainty over the recovery efforts.
So far, 5,631 people from low-lying areas in Howrah, Hooghly, West Midnapore, Purulia, and Bankura, which were flooded by swelling rivers following downpours and water released from dams, were relocated to 166 temporary shelters and camps. To help out in the rescue and relief operations, five National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams continued to be deployed in strategic locations, two teams in Howrah, two in Hooghly and one in West Medinipur. State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams have also been mobilized in the affected districts.
South Bengal recently experienced a meteorological anomaly of unprecedented proportions. Barisha village in Pingla in West Midnapur recorded an astonishing 520mm of rainfall in just 24 hours. This record-breaking deluge, unlike anything seen in recent memory, has surprised residents and experts alike. The extreme rainfall extended beyond Barisha, affecting the entire Bengal region. The weather office indicated that the rain might persist, raising concerns. Experts at the Alipore weather office suggested that a shift in the low-pressure system from Jharkhand towards eastern Bengal might have contributed to this extraordinary downpour. Additionally, the prolonged presence of the low-pressure system in the affected area could have exacerbated the situation.
