Flood-hit West Bengal brings in rescue and relief package

Midnapore/Kolkata, June 21: Authorities in flood-hit West Bengal announced relief package for the victims.

With rivers flowing above the danger level and leaving hundreds of thousands of people marooned, situation in Midnapore district continues to be grim.

The State Government is using Air Force helicopters to drop food packets in the affected areas, besides deploying the army for rescue work.

"1122 makeshift tents have been set up in east and west Midnapore sheltering over 200,000 displaced people. As far as the rescue and rehabilitation is concerned, four battalion of the army, two each in east and west Midnapore are working. Two helicopters are been used for air dropping relief materials. Local boats, 80 in the east and 70 in the west, are on duty along with state administered 25 boats in the east and 12 boats in the west," said Asim Dasgupta, state's Finance Minister.

According to news reports, over two million people have been marooned during the current spell of floods.

Floodwaters have turned villages into islands.

The monsoon rains have brought miseries for people who have complained of communist government's inefficiency in the state in dealing with the flood situation.

The area received a record rainfall of 700 mm in the past three days that has affected hundreds of thousands of people.

Experts said that a depression in the Bay of Bengal has caused the floods.

Officials said that the cyclonic depression is likely to continue and heavy showers are being predicted for the state of West Bengal. (ANI)