Three panchayats of the Bhutni islet in Malda's Manikchak continued to face floods while fresh erosion started in Parlalpur, a village on the left bank of the Ganga in Kaliachak-III block.

The flood caused by the Ganga has affected around 1.5 lakh people in Bhutni.

The situation prompted Nitin Singhania, the district magistrate, to visit the flood-affected areas in Bhutni and monitor relief and rescue work.

Sabina Yeasmin, the minister of state for irrigation, also visited Manikchak block and held a meeting with officials of the block administration on the floods.

Singhania, who visited the inundated areas of Bhutni islet for the third day on Sunday, said he met flood victims and supervised the distribution of relief materials.

“The situation is likely to improve during the next few days as the water level of the Ganga is receding. The river is flowing now below the extreme danger level,” he said.

He said that the administration was providing cooked and dry food to Bhutni residents. Power generators, boats and tarpaulins have been arranged in abundance and extra health clinics have been opened for people and cattle, the district magistrate added.

At the islet, many residents who have taken refuge in flood shelters now said that they witnessed the river flooding their houses and agricultural fields.

While the Ganga has flooded some areas in Bhutni, it also is gobbling chunks of land in Kaliachak's Parlalpur.

“Over the past couple of days, erosion has turned acute in the village. Many families have shifted to safer places while abandoning their houses. A temple is standing precariously close to the river and can be swept away anytime,” said a resident.

Yeasmin, the minister of state, said the state government is taking all possible measures to handle the situation.

"We are putting in every effort to help people. The central government, on the other hand, is turning a blind eye to the situation and not extending any help,” she said.

Yeasmin, however, didn’t go to Bhutni. This has made Opposition leaders allege that she feared meeting angry flood victims. “That is why the minister went only to the block headquarters,” said a BJP leader.

Yeasmin denied the charge. “I took stock of the situation from the officials and asked them to carry out necessary work, ranging from distribution of relief to flood protection and anti-erosion work,” she said.

'Jolt' death

Chottu Choudhury, 17, of Sanatantola village in Dakhin Chandipur panchayat of Bhutni, died due to suspected electrocution on Sunday.

Sources said he had been rowing a boat on Saturday which rammed into an electric pole.

“He got electrocuted and fell off the boat. He could not be traced at night. His body was found from an inundated jute plantation on Sunday,” Ajit, his father, and a fisherman by occupation, said.

The family and neighbours blamed WBSEDCL for the death.

A senior WBSEDCL official said the matter was being looked into. “Electric supply has been cut off in many areas of Bhutni as high-tension wires are under the water. Still, we will check if the allegation is true,” he said.