By IANS
Kolkata : A woman died and another was missing after the boat in which they were travelling, capsized in floodwaters in West Bengal’s Birbhum district Wednesday.
The incident involving a small boat carrying six people, mostly women and children, took place at Laghata near Labhpur, about 250 km from here.
The boat, going to Karnahar from Labhpur reportedly capsized after colliding with a tree.
“We have received news about the death of a woman. Another woman, who was on the same boat, is missing. The rest of the people have been rescued,” Birbhum superintendent of police S.S. Panda told IANS.
The entire area has been submerged in water after three days of incessant rains in the southern part of the state. At least 11 people have died.
Many areas in Burdwan, Birbhum, Hooghly and East Midnapore have been flooded after the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) released huge volumes of rainwater from the Panchet and Mithan dams.
Officials said the DVC has released 350,000 cusecs of water to reduce pressure on its dams. The Damodar and Ajoy rivers are flowing above the danger level.
About 40,000 people have been affected in the deluge in southern West Bengal. The state government has sanctioned Rs.80 million for providing relief to the flood-affected people.