WB: 20,000 villagers affected due to flood in Coochbehar district, forced to travel via makeshift boats

At least 20,000 villagers have been severely affected in the flood-affected Coochbehar district. Villagers here are forced to travel from one place to another via makeshift boats.

Heavy rains in hills and Terai region for the past few days have resulted in waterlogging and flood-like situation in Tufanganj and Mathavanga subdivisions of Coochbehar district of West Bengal.

At least 20,000 villagers are affected due to the flood-like situation and 3000 houses have been deluged in the district. Thousands of farmlands and houses in the area have been submerged in the water and a large number of villagers are still stuck inside their houses.

As the roads in the district have been inundated, villagers here have found an alternative mode of transportation and they are forced to cross floodwaters on wooden makeshift boats.

National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team is in the process to rescue the flood-affected people in the region. At least 7,000 affected villagers are taking shelter in various rescue camps across the district.

The district administration is providing basic necessity items in these camps and they are further planning to set up 42 more camps in the flood-hit district.

On the other hand, swelling Torsa river water has already gobbled up 150 meters of land in Chandanchur village in Coochbehar district. Locals here are forced to run from one place to another in search of a safe shelter.

According to the waterways department, Coochbehar district has already received 317.31mm rainfall in the past 24 hours.

( With inputs from ANI )