South Bengal Flood Situation Worsens After Heavy Rain; CM Suvendu Adhikari Calls Emergency Meeting

Kolkata: Heavy rain has triggered a fresh flood situation in parts of south Bengal, prompting West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari to convene an emergency meeting on Friday to review the situation and coordinate relief efforts.

Several low-lying areas have been inundated following days of heavy to extremely heavy rainfall. The worst-affected pockets include parts of Hooghly and Howrah, with officials closely monitoring river levels and the impact of water released from Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) reservoirs.

Emergency meeting held to assess flood situation

Adhikari chaired the emergency meeting at the Water Resources Department headquarters, where senior officials and district magistrates reviewed the situation across the affected areas.

The chief minister said there was no immediate need for panic and indicated that the situation was being closely monitored. Authorities have been instructed to evacuate vulnerable residents where necessary and ensure adequate supplies of food and other relief materials.

The administration has also been directed to provide ration and relief materials to people affected by the flooding.

Hooghly's Arambagh subdivision among worst-hit

In Hooghly, flooding has particularly affected parts of the Arambagh subdivision.

According to officials, seven blocks and nine gram panchayats in the subdivision have been impacted by the rising water. Parts of Howrah, including Udaynarayanpur and Amta, have also reported flooding.

The situation has been compounded by rivers flowing above their danger marks. The Khanakul, Jangipara and Udaynarayanpur areas have been identified as particularly vulnerable as river levels remain high.

DVC water release comes under scrutiny

The flood situation has once again brought attention to the role of DVC and the release of water from its reservoirs.

Adhikari, however, defended the corporation and said there had been no embankment breach in the Lower Damodar region, which covers parts of Bankura, Hooghly, Howrah and Paschim Bardhaman.

According to the chief minister, heavy rainfall over the past few days pushed reservoir levels beyond their storage capacity, making the release of water necessary. DVC had reportedly been releasing more than one lakh cusecs of water for two days.

Adhikari said the water releases from Maithon and Panchet had since begun to decrease.

‘Excessive rainfall will cause floods’: Adhikari

The chief minister rejected the description of the flooding as a "man-made flood" and argued that reservoirs have a limited storage capacity.

His position marks a departure from the frequent political clashes between the West Bengal government and DVC over flood management in the Lower Damodar basin.

Adhikari said that when rainfall exceeds the capacity of reservoirs, water inevitably has to be released to maintain the safety of the dams.

Relief and rescue operations stepped up

With several low-lying areas under water, district administrations have been asked to remain alert and provide assistance to affected residents.

Relief supplies, including food and medicines, are being arranged for people in affected areas. Authorities are also monitoring vulnerable locations and river levels as rainfall conditions improve.

The rainfall has reduced in some areas, offering some relief. However, officials remain cautious because rivers are still running above danger levels in parts of south Bengal.

More rain forecast for South Bengal

The flood situation comes as the India Meteorological Department continues to forecast rain over several parts of West Bengal.

On Friday, an alert was in place for several southern districts, including Purba Bardhaman, Birbhum, Murshidabad, Nadia, North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas, with possibilities of heavy rain, thunderstorms and gusty winds.

For residents in flood-prone areas, the coming hours remain critical as authorities watch rainfall, river levels and reservoir discharge.

The state administration has maintained that the situation is under control, but continued monitoring and relief operations remain a priority until water levels recede.