Army deployed in flood-affected north Bengal

Jayanta Gupta,TNN | Jul 2, 2015: KOLKATA: The Army has been deployed for rescue and relief operations in landslide and flood-affected parts of north Bengal. 

The catastrophe claimed several lives in the hill sub-divisions of Darjeeling and property worth several lakhs is estimated to have been destroyed. A team of 45 Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) personnel are continuing with its efforts to rescue people who may be caught under rubble around Mirik, that was the worst affected. Due to heavy rains on Thursday, the SSB's Siliguri Frontier headquarters at Ranidanga could not get in touch with officers in charge of the team.

"The team is completely cut off. We are trying to contact the officers through their mobile phones but this has not been possible. On Wednesday, the team rushed to the Limbugaon village in Mirik, which is the worst affected. This is a hamlet of 95 houses between the Singbuli and Thingling Tea Estates. Several houses were lost. Personnel from the Mechi and Thingling BOPs along with state authorities succeeded in recovering 15 bodies on Wednesday. Locals claimed that 19 others were missing. As per last information received, the personnel are continuing to look for them under the rubble," said K M Cariappa, publicity officer, SSB, Siliguri Frontier.

Union minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju, who is touring the area, was also caught in bad weather. According to sources, Rijiju could not fly back to Siliguri in a helicopter due to heavy rain and decided to travel by road. With most roads affected due to landslides, Rijiju's convoy was also delayed.

On Thursday, the Eastern Command announced that two task forces of the Army have been deployed in the area since Wednesday evening. Each task force comprises of four teams of 60 soldiers each. Each team has medics, engineers and signalers. The teams have been deployed at Matia Char in the Mainaguri Block, Uttar Padmavati and the Mal sub-division. The teams are carrying flood relief equipment such as boats and life-jackets.