I am monitoring flood situation: Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India] July 24 (ANI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said that in some of the blocks of the state vigorous flood has created problems but other than that it's under control, adding she is monitoring the situation. "In some of the blocks there are still problems but other than that it's under control for now. If the rain continues in the similar manner then it will affect some of the blocks. This situation is same everywhere. I'm continuously monitoring this issue," Mamata Banerjeetold media here. Overnight rains battered the eastern metropolis and several districts of West Bengal resulting in a flood-like situation in several areas, the officials said today. Heavy rains were likely to persist during the day owing to the presence of a low pressure area over Gangetic Bengal and adjoining Jharkhand and associated upper air cyclonic circulation. Water level in several rivers in some districts, including West Midnapore's river Shilabati that were flowing above the danger level on Sunday, has started to go down, officials said. Incessant rains overnight led to water-logging in Burdwan's Asansol, Hooghly's Baidyabati, besides West and East Midnapore, affecting thousands of people. Kolkata received around 83 mm of rainfall till Monday morning, the Met office said. Stretches in Garia, Barasat, Chittaranjan Avenue, Ultadanga, Baguiati, Behala were water-logged leading to massive traffic snarls with rickshaws and auto rickshaws refusing to ply. A portion of an old residence in Harish Neogi Road here also collapsed in the downpour. No one was hurt, civic officials said. In view of the deteriorating situation, control rooms have been set up at the state secretariat Nabanna, and leaves of all officers and employees of the Irrigation Department cancelled till October 31. (ANI)