Photographs: Jayanta Shaw/Reuters
The army began rescue and relief operations in the cyclone-hit districts of West Bengal on Tuesday and Indian Air Force helicopters air-dropped food packets in the worst-affected South and North 24 Parganas, even as the state-wide toll shot up to 49.
The highest number of 20 deaths due to Cyclone Aila occurred in South 24 Parganas followed by nine in North 24 Parganas, six each in Kolkata and Howrah, three in Birbhum, two in Nadia and one each in Bankura, Cooch Behar and Malda, official sources said. The cyclone, which spared Kolkata on Monday, has weakened and turned into a depression over North Bengal, Met officials said.
"The cyclone has weakened and lost much of its intensity on Monday night and now has turned into a depression over the North Bengal, lying close to Siliguri today," Regional Meteorological Centre director G C Debnath told PTI. "It will further weaken and totally wither away by tonight," he added.
Two columns of army, one each in Sandeshkhali and Kultali of North and South 24 Parganas districts, were carrying out rescue and relief operations, defence spokesman Wing Commander Mahesh Upasani said. Six more army columns were on standby, he said.
Toll rises to 49
Photographs: Jayanta Shaw/Reuters
Aila ripped through Kolkata, North and South 24 Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly, Burdwan and East Midnapore hitting a population of 1.10 lakh and killing 49 people.
The Centre has dispatched 2500 personnel of the central paramilitary forces to assist in the relief and rescue operations in cyclone hit areas of West Bengal.
"We have rushed 25 companies of Central Reserve Police Force, Border Security Force and the Railway Protection Force to help in the aid and rescue operations in the cyclone hit areas of West Bengal," a Home Ministry official said.
BSF, RPF, CISF men to the rescue
Photographs: Jayanta Shaw/Reuters
The Home Ministry is in constant touch with the state government and ready to provide more help, the official said.
"We are monitoring the situation closely. It is improving and things are settling down now," the official said.
The Centre had already dispatched 200 personnel of the riverine units of BSF based in Sundarbans, West Bengal. About 1000 personnel of the National Disaster Response Force have also been pressed into relief operations. Some of the forces have already reached the spot to help local authorities in rescue operations.
"NDRF and BSF officials are in constant touch with relief commissioners of West Bengal. We are very prepared and ready to meet any situation," Union Home Minister Chidambaram had said on Monday.
State government is callous, says Mamata
Photographs: Jayanta Shaw/Reuters
Meanwhile, Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday visited cyclone-hit areas and charged the West Bengal government with not opening relief camps and not repairing embankments in Kakdwip and Namkhana areas of the state's South 24 Parganas district.
"Embankments have not been repaired in time and regrettably the state government has not opened any relief centres," said Banerjee, who arrived after taking over charge as the Railway Minister in Kolkata.
"The West Bengal government should formulate a master plan for flood and erosion control measures," Banerjee said while alleging it had been 'callous' in tackling the calamity.
She also alleged that there was a drinking water crisis in the cyclone-hit areas.
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