More areas flooded in Malda and S Dinajpur districts

Kolkata:With several rivers flowing above danger levels, more areas were inundated in the Malda and South Dinajpur districts of West Bengal on Wednesday.

In South Dinajpur district, Punorbhoba and Tangon rivers crossed the danger level submerging several villages in the Gangarampur sub-division.

At Belbari, the rising waters of Punorbhoba breached an embankment and raised the fears of rupture at Mallikpur on the India-Bangladesh border. The embankment repair works at Mallikpur was started following a flag meeting between the two countries.

A senior South Dinajpur district official said, the administration had been geared up for any eventuality. The disaster management team had been put on high alert and the police stations been asked to be on vigil, the official added.

In Malda, Phulhar river has almost touched the extreme danger level, inundating a number of villages under the Harishchandrapur and the Ratua blocks, forcing people to take shelter at higher lands.

Water levels of Ganga and Mahananda rivers are also rising. Mahananda has inundated a portion of Old Malda and Englishbazar towns, district officials said.

Ganga was flowing a shade below the danger level at some places.

However, situation improved in the North Dinajpur district with the water level falling in some rivers.