Several hundred people have taken shelter in different schools in different villages of Chopra in Islampur, Goalpokhar-1 and Goalpokhar-2 blocks. The families have been rendered homeless after floodwaters from the Mahananda and Dauk rivers started inundating low-lying areas since last night.

The district administration has been providing food for the homeless people in the relief camps in the schools.

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District Magistrate of North Dinajpur, Arvind Meena, today visited the relief camps at the Monora High School at Schoolpara in Punjipara and Maldwar village in Goalpokhar-I and Puratan Simulia in Goalpokhar-II block. He also toured Ghinnigaon in Chopra and surveyed the embankments at Chhota Sapnikla in Ramganj in Islampur subdivision, along with the Block Development Officers concerned.

“Water in the Kulick, Nagar, Gamari, Sui, Tangan, Mahananda, Dauk and Sudani rivers in the district are flowing very near the danger level,” sources at the North Dinajpur irrigation department said today

“River water has inundated villages in Chopra, Islampur, Goalpokhar-1 and Goalpokhar-2 blocks. If another spell of heavy rainfall hits the area, the district may be hit by major flooding,” they added. The Sudani river at Domahana is flowing just around 1 ft below NationalHighway-34 in Karandighi, while water in the Mahananda has already entered Manora, Sahapur, Dharampur and Maldwar villages in Goalpokkhar-II block, prompting more than 1,000 people to take shelter in safer places. Floodwaters have also submerged Kanki, Puratan Simulia and Surjapur villages in Goalpokhar-II block. Waters from the Dauk and Mahananda have also inundated some villages in Chopra and Islampur blocks.

“The affected people have been given accommodation in different schools, and the administration is providing them food and other relief materials. Some of them today returned home after the situation got better in their villages. We are, however, keeping a close watch on the situation at all places of the district.

Health teams in all the blocks are also visiting the villages and examining the health of the people there. The sources of drinking water are also being disinfected there,” DM, Mr Meena, said.