Mamata Banerjee's All-Night Vigil in Office as Flood Batters West Bengal

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee spent Sunday night in office to monitor the flood situation in the state in the aftermath of Cyclone Komen which has hit large parts of Bengal, Odisha and Manipur. Around 70 people - 48 of them in Bengal alone - have died so far.

Incessant rain has not only sunk large parts of capital Kolkata but also 12 districts. Five of the districts are on high alert and people have been asked to leave their homes for the next two-three days.

More than two lakh people are in relief camps across 12 districts in the state. Farmland of over 21 lakh hectare has been submerged.

Ms Banerjee is expected to visit the North 24 Parganas district later in the day. Claiming Jharkhand is releasing water and so is Damodar Valley Corporation from its dams, she said, "DVC is doing business in Bengal. We love them but they can drown Bengal".

Manipur is suffering from what people say are the worst floods in 200 years, in which an estimated one lakh people have been affected. Though the overall situation has improved, government is closely monitoring the situation after a rain alert by the weather department.
While capital Imphal has been cut off from Moreh on the Indo-Myanmar border and Jiribam on the Assam border, rescue teams are facing a tough time in carrying out operations in Joumol village in Chandel district, where 20 people died in a landslide on Saturday.

The Chakpi and other rivers in the area are flowing well over the danger mark.

In Odisha, almost five lakh people are in relief camps. The overall flood situation has improved and water in the three major rivers is receding.

There has been unceasing rains in parts of Jharkhand's Giridih and Chatra districts too, leading to inundation in low lying areas. Rivers in the district are flowing above or very close to the danger mark. The Jharkhand government said it is closely monitoring the situation.