Leesh River embankment breach floods Chanda Company Village

Dibyendu Sinha, MP, 2 July 2024, Jalpaiguri: Due to heavy rain in the hills, the Leesh River embankment was breached in Malbazar, flooding the Chanda Company village area of Bagrakote Gram Panchayat (GP). 

About a hundred people were trapped in the water prompting the deployment of the Army for rescue operations from the nearby camp. The water level of the Teesta River has also started to rise due to heavy rains in the mountains and the intermittent release of water from the Gajoldoba Barrage. 

The Jalpaiguri Irrigation department reported that a yellow warning has been issued for the protected area of Teesta Domhani and a red warning for the unprotected area of Mekhliganj due to the rising river water. 

About 3265.86 cumecs of water were released from the Gajoldoba Barrage at 10 am, 3215.62 cumecs at 2 pm and 3060.27 cumecs at 3 pm. 

On Tuesday morning, the Malbazar Block administration quickly responded to the dam breach. Due to the high speed of the river, Army personnel from the Bagrakote Army Camp were deployed to rescue 40 families in the area. Reshmi Deepta Biswas, BDO of Malbazar, said: 

“The families who were trapped in the water have been rescued and taken to a safe place nearby. 

Dry food has also been arranged.” Buluchik Baraik, minister of the Backward Class Welfare department, Government of West Bengal, reached the Chanda Company area after receiving news of the incident. 

He spoke with officials from the district administration and the Irrigation department present at the scene and inquired about the people trapped in the water. 

The minister said: “Due to heavy rains, a part of the river embankment was breached, flooding the Chanda Company area. The water flow intensity is so high that it is not possible to repair the embankment at the moment. 

After discussions with the administration and Irrigation department officials, the river water will be diverted first and then the repair work commenced.”  

Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department has issued a red warning of heavy to very heavy rain in five northern districts. Sikkim Meteorological Department official Gopinath Raha said the amount of rain will decrease in the next two days, but no significant change in the weather is expected. 

According to MeT office sources, Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Jalpaiguri districts have received the highest rainfall in the lower catchment of the Teesta River. 

In Darjeeling district, Sevoke received 287.4 mm, Darjeeling 123.4 mm, Gajoldoba 122.6 mm, Alipurduar 213.2 mm, Cooch Behar 126.6 mm, Bagrakote 78.8 mm and Neora 76.2 mm. NH 31 received 139 mm and Falakatta received 123.8 mm of rain. 

Courtesy & source- Millennium Post

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/lis-river-embankment-breach-floods-chanda-company-village-570348