TMC Officials Survive Boat Capsizing During Flood Inspection In West Bengal

A group of 13 officials, including Trinamool Congress (TMC) representatives and local authorities, faced a harrowing experience during a flood inspection in West Bengal's Birbhum district. The incident occurred as they were assessing the impact of severe flooding in the Balarampur and Labpur areas.

The inspection team, comprised of TMC MLA Abhijit Singh from Labpur, MPs Asit Mal and Shamirul Islam, along with Birbhum's District Magistrate Bidhan Roy and other officials, found themselves in peril when their boat capsized. Quick action by local residents led to the rescue of all passengers, none of whom were wearing safety jackets at the time.

This near-miss underscores the severity of the flooding crisis currently affecting several districts in southern West Bengal. The situation has been exacerbated by heavy rainfall and increased water discharge from nearby barrages. Alapan Bandyopadhyay, advisor to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, reported that at least two fatalities have occurred due to the flood-like conditions.

The affected regions include parts of Birbhum, Bankura, Howrah, Hooghly, North and South 24 Parganas, Purba and Paschim Medinipur, and Paschim Bardhaman districts. The crisis has been intensified by significant water releases from multiple dams in the past 24 hours:

- Durgapur Barrage: 133,750 Cusec

- Kangsabati Dam: 40,000 Cusec

- Maithon Dam: 200,000 Cusec

- Panchet Dam: 50,000 Cusec

As officials continue to monitor and respond to the flooding, this incident serves as a stark reminder of the challenges and risks involved in managing natural disasters. It also highlights the need for proper safety measures during such inspection tours to ensure the wellbeing of those working to assess and mitigate the impact of floods on local communities.