Kolkata: Flood situation in West Bengal continued to be grim with most of the major rivers in spate following increased discharge from reservoirs of Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) and Tilpara and Kangsabati barrages, as the death toll shot to 36 on Thursday.
State Irrigation Minister Manas Bhuniya said in the Assembly lobby that several rivers in North and South Bengal were flowing above the danger mark as further release from DVC reservoirs threatened to submerge fresh areas.
Red alert was sounded in areas where the rivers were flowing above the danger level, he said.
An official release said that the death toll had jumped to 36, which included 21 men and 15 women, and 29 lakh were affected in 241 blocks and 79 municipalities spread over 14 districts.
DVC's Maithon and Panchet reservoirs discharged 85,000 cusecs which increased to a massive 1.10 lakh cusecs when mixed with the release from Durgapur barrage, it said.
Over 45,036 affected people were sheltered in 396 camps, it added.
There were forecasts of isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall all over the state till Friday, the Met office said.
Relief materials were being despatched to affected areas where 449 medical camps had been opened.
Bhunia said that the situation was aggravated in Howrah, Hooghly, parts of Burdwan and East Midnapur due to massive discharge from SDVC reservoirs.
"The discharge from the Kangsabati river has increased three times from 5,000 cusecs to 15,000 cusecs, threatening to inundate new areas in East Midnapur district," he said.
The scenario in north Bengal was also serious with major rivers swelling following lashing rains in the past three days.
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