Heavy rains in Rajasthan, 3 more deaths in West Bengal

New Delhi:  Heavy rains flooded many parts in Rajasthan and triggered landslides in Himachal Pradesh while three more deaths were reported in West Bengal, where the situation improved slightly.

In Assam too, flood waters were receding in all but six districts. More than two thousand people are still in various relief camps.

Clear skies prevailed in the national capital with the maximum temperature settling at 35.1 degrees Celsius, a notch above the season’s average. The minimum temperature was recorded at 27.3 degrees Celsius, the met department official said. The city received 4.9 mm rains till 8.30 am.

In Rajasthan, heavy rainfall and water released from the Jawai Dam have flooded parts of Jalore and neighbouring areas, officials said. More than 70,000 cusec of water were released from the dam — the largest in western Rajasthan — on Friday evening.

Heavy downpour also affected normal life in the adjoining Pali and Sirohi districts, where many villages are on high alert and relief and rescue operations are on. Chief minister Vasundhara Raje conducted an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas of Pali and Sirohi districts.

“Of the total 13 gates, 11 were opened last night to discharge water. Seven gates were closed in the morning and four are still open,” said Vinod Kumar Malhotra, sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) of Sumerpur town in Pali district. The water level in the dam is 59 feet at present.

“Many villages in Jalore are flooded, and some roads have been washed away. Relief work is underway,” L.N. Soni, the collector of Jalore, said.

“People in several hundred villages in Pali, Sirohi and Jalore had been affected by the flood-like situation,” he added.

In many villages, people were being rescued from their rooftops by the Army, National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force, he added. “Rescue operations are being carried out,” Hemant Gera, secretary of state Disaster Management and Relief department said.

The flood situation improved marginally in West Bengal today even as three more persons died in the past 24 hours taking the toll to thirty-one, an official said.

The Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) released less water. The situation in 11 flood-hit districts of the state slightly improved, he said. At the moment, over 23 lakh people have been hit in over 165 villages inundated by heavy rains and the water released by the DVC, he said.

In Odisha, fresh areas of Jajpur, Kendrapara and Dhenkanal districts were inundated, prompting authorities to rush Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force for rescue operations. The flood situation remained unchanged in Balasore district.  About 130 villages have been inundated in the current spate of floods and over 1,50,000 people affected.

“ODRAF team rescued at least 30 people from the flood waters Bari block of Jajpur district,” SRC B.P. Sethi said, adding that rescue operation was also carried out at Mirzapur under the block.

Assam governor Banwarilal Purohit has contributed one month’s salary to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund in aid for the flood-affected people in the state, a Raj Bhavan spokesman said. The flood situation improved marginally in West Bengal today even as three more persons died in the past 24 hours taking the toll to thirty-one, an official said.

The Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) released less water. The situation in 11 flood-hit districts of the state slightly improved, he said. At the moment, over 23 lakh people have been hit in over 165 villages inundated by heavy rains and the water released by the DVC, he said.

Around 2,067 relief camps have been opened in flood-hit districts of the state where close to 45,000 people have taken shelter. Meanwhile, an Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter this morning rescued nine members of a family from a house in West Midnapore district’s Ghatal area.

One IAF helicopter distributed 500 kg of relief materials, including medicines, food and water pouches in the flood-hit areas of the state. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee said the flood situation in the state has improved.

“The flood situation has got better from earlier but the problem will rise if it rains and more water is released (from the DVC). Many persons have been rescued from Ghatal,” Ms Banerjee said at the state secretariat. Weather remained comparatively hot and humid in Bihar.