More villages under water in Malda

MALDA, Sept. 1: At least 18 villages in three gram panchayats close to Bihar in Harishchandrapur - II block have been inundated affecting more than 5000 people, the Chanchal SDO Mr D Sarkar said today.The administration has planned to evacuate at least 1000 people from the affected villages if the water level of the Fulohar river continues to rise in the next two days. The irrigation department in Malda predicts the water level would continue to rise till Wednesday. “The excess rain water (2.5 lakh cusec) released on Saturday evening, from the Bihar-Nepal border, would reach the Fulohar and Ganga on Tuesday night,” said Mr S Misra, executive engineer, irrigation department in Malda. Both banks of Fulohar continue to remain under the red alert as the river is flowing 38 cm above the ‘extreme danger level’ at Telajana in the northern part of Malda district. On the other hand, the Ganga has almost touched the EDL at Manikchak today.The Chanchal SDO said, “Flood situation is grim. Eighteen villages in Harishchandrapur II block have been badly hit by the floods. Though we have supplied relief materials to the affected areas, more is required.” A total of 12 villages in Islampur gram panchayat (GP), three villages in Par-Bhakuria and three in Daoulatnagar under Harishchandrapur-II have been flooded affecting at least 1370 families. They have been confined to their houses and they cannot move out without the help of boats.Similarly, more than 1600 families in Bilaimari and Mahanandatola in Ratua I block have been affected by floodwaters from Fulohar. On the other hand, at least 700 families in Gopalpur gram panchayat under Manikchak block have been affected twice by floodwaters from the Ganga. n SNS