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70 killed in WB, Odisha, Manipur floods

by IBNS 03 Aug 2015, 12:45 am

New Delhi, Aug 3 (IBNS) At least 70 people have been killed in floods in West Bengal, Odisha and Manipur, due to incessant rainfall in the aftermath of cyclone Komen.

A flash flood on Monday morning in Leh in Jammu and Kashmir has destroyed an entire village.

Filmmaker Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra told NDTV that a village in Leh less than 10 km from the airport was washed away in a massive flood.

"Since last night, no one has come to help and we have seen not one official or personnel," the filmmaker said, adding that many foreign tourists were stranded.

Since Friday, nearly 50 people have died in West Bengal, where incessant rains have left large parts of Kolkata and 12 districts submerged.

Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had spent the night in her office as she monitored the flood situation.

In a dozen worst hit districts in West Bengal, more than two lakh people are in relief camps.

Mamta Banerjee has claimed that the situation in her state has worsened as neighbouring Jharkhand is releasing water and so is the Damodar Valley Corporation from its dams. "DVC is doing business in Bengal. We love them but they can drown Bengal," she said.

In Manipur, an estimated one lakh people have been affected.

The state's capital city Imphal has been cut off from Moreh on the Indo-Myanmar border and Jiribam on the Assam border.

Rescue operations are also hit in Chandel district, where 20 people died in a landslide on Saturday.

The situation worsened as Chakpi and other rivers in Manipur are flowing well over the danger mark. 

Residents of a village in Chandel are trying to repair a bridge that has almost been washed away, said reports.

In Odisha, almost five lakh people are in relief camps. 

However, the situation is improving in the state where flood waters are now receding.

Heavy rains have also lashed parts of Jharkhand's Giridih and Chatra districts too, inundating low lying areas.