Television news images captured rescuers using boats to evacuate people from floodwaters in West Bengal, where a state-run hospital in one village was completely submerged. The scene highlighted the devastating impact of the flooding, prompting urgent responses from local authorities and emergency services.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee reported that 26 people had lost their lives this week, with around 250,000 individuals forced to leave their homes in search of shelter. The scale of the disaster has overwhelmed local resources, as communities grapple with the immediate aftermath of the flooding.
Banerjee placed blame on neighboring Jharkhand, accusing its authorities of unnecessarily opening dam sluice gates, which contributed to the inundation in West Bengal. She asserted, “The flooding is man-made,” and announced a three-day closure of the border with Jharkhand in response to the crisis.
In contrast, Supriyo Bhattacharya, a member of the ruling coalition in Jharkhand, defended the state’s actions, stating that releasing water from the dams was necessary to alleviate pressure. He warned that holding back the water could have resulted in significant damage to the dams and potentially led to catastrophic floods affecting both states.
The Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC), responsible for managing the dams along the Damodar River, reported that it had “reduced” water releases on Friday as rainfall eased. This move aims to stabilize the situation and mitigate further flooding as communities work to recover.
In West Bengal’s Ghatal village, railway employee Pradip Maity shared that most residents had sought refuge in relief camps. He noted that boats had become the primary mode of transportation in the area, illustrating the severity of the flooding and its impact on daily life.
Annual typhoon rains wreak havoc across India, but experts are increasingly linking climate change to shifts in weather patterns, resulting in a rise in extreme weather events. This growing concern underscores the need for effective disaster management and preparedness in the face of a changing climate.
