Ten killed in Bengal flood

CALCUTTA, SEPT. 19. Ten persons were killed in flash floods, triggered by heavy rain, in West Bengal. Army and Para-military forces have been deployed for rescue and relief work.

The worst-hit districts were Birbhum, Bardhaman, Malda and Murshidabad. Calcutta was lashed by incessant rainfalls for the second consecutive day affecting normal life. While the Deputy Chief Minister, Mr. Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, said seven persons were killed in Birbhum district, reports of three more deaths reached here from Bardhaman district.

He said two Army columns had been sent from Panagarh in Bardhaman to other flood-hit districts. An Army helicopter deployed in Murshidabad could not take off due to inclement weather.

He said two larger Army choppers would be pressed into service tomorrow to airdrop food packets to the affected people of Murshidabad and Birbhum districts. Official sources said more than five lakhs people were affected and 50,000 others rescued in Murshidabad, nearly two lakhs each hit in Bardhamnan and Murshidabad districts and 60,000 in Malda.

Heavy rain for the second consecutive day following low pressure over the Bay of Bengal severely hit normal life.

Accident averted

Nearly 750 passengers of the 3141-up Teesta-Torsha Express had a providential escape when it ran into metre-deep water over a culvert last night in the Rampurhat-Nalhati section of the Eastern Railway (ER), as torrential rains for the second day completely cut off rail communication between north and south Bengal today.

ER Additional General Manager, Mr. Alakendu Sen said the engine and two coaches of the train were on the culvert between Swadhinpur and Nalhati Junction in Birbhum district when a flash flood engulfed and dislocated the tracks, partially derailing the engine and two coaches. As the train was running at very low speed, it could be stopped immediately, but it was impossible to move it in either direction.

- PTI

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