Malda, Sept. 13 -- With the Ganga breaching its banks and inundating parts of Bhutni, Ratua and Baishnabnagar, residents are facing a health and safety crisis, with submerged roads leaving boats as their only link to healthcare.
Three people have died in Bhutni this year, including five-year-old Samiur Rahaman, who drowned near his home in Samiruddintola on Saturday afternoon.
Snake bites have added to the danger. Six cases have been reported in Bhutni, with one person treated at a temporary camp and five shifted to Manikchak Rural Hospital. Two cases were reported in Baishnabnagar, including 30-year-old Sumitra Mondal, rescued by boat and taken to Anupnagar Hospital in Dhulian. She is recovering.
Ten boats, including two water ambulances and eight health camps, are operating from 8 am to 8 pm across Bhutni and Ratua. Health workers are visiting villages, distributing medicines and ORS, while shifting critically ill patients.
"From morning till evening, water ambulances are moving from village to village. Health workers are carrying medicines to every flood-affected village," district magistrate Rajanvir Singh Kapur said.
Udayan Mondal of South Chandipur said he received medicines from a health department boat after developing stomach pain. Residents, however, complained of shortages of drinking water, sanitation, dry food and medical facilities. BJP MLA Gour Chandra Mondal visited flood-hit areas and relief centres in North Chandipur on Sunday and heard complaints about shortages of dry food and tarpaulins.
In Ratua, residents of Bilaimari gram panchayat alleged that 16 booths were inundated, and claimed relief was being facilitated only for Mahanandatola gram panchayat. Kalindri river has created a flood-like situation in Baharal gram panchayat.
The Ganga at Manikchak Ghat was flowing at 25.99 metres at 8 am on Sunday, around 69 cm above the extreme danger level of 25.30 metres, though the level was slowly receding.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.