New Delhi: The flood situation in Malda worsened on Saturday with two fresh deaths being reported from Kaliachak III block, taking the toll due to floods to four in the district. Two-year-old Noor Alam of Deonapur and Ajmal Sheikh (8) of Sobhapur got drowned in flood water on Saturday, Additional District Magistrate Kanchan Chowdhury said. Two more children have died in the district since Thursday.
Of the four flood-related deaths, three were reported from Kaliachak III and one was from Manikchak block. Meanwhile, District Magistrate Sharad Dwivedi said at least 5,558 families of 45 villages of four blocks were inundated due to rising Ganga water, while the number of affected villages was 40 on Friday. Dwivedi said 45 villages of Manikchak, Kaliachak II, Kaliachak III and Ratua I blocks were under water which is flowing 48 cm above the extreme danger level at Manikchak.
However, the rate of rise in water has decreased and is expected to be steady, as per information from the Central Water Commission. Two NDRF teams are working in Malda district, the DM said, adding a control room has been opened to look into the flood situation round the clock. The phone number of the control room is 03512-252056, he said.
The ADM said the administration has been operating five relief camps where around 1,000 families have taken shelter.