Struggle to reach flood victims

Many people have been left homeless by the floods

By Jill McGivering in West Bengal

Officials in West Bengal are struggling to get emergency relief to hundreds of thousands of people still being displaced and marooned by the worst floods in more than 20 years.

Regions close to the border with Bangladesh are being inundated by the volume of water still travelling slowly across the state.

The town of Bongaon, 10km from the border, has become an island in a region devastated by flood waters.

Surrounding towns and villages are completely submerged by water on average about three metres deep. Many houses, livestock and crops have been swept away.

Bongaon itself has become a makeshift relief camp for villagers fleeing from the rising waters. It is also the emergency headquarters for the local officials struggling to cope with the crisis and for the Indian army who have been called in to help.

Soldiers are now trying to reach outlying villages by boat to take food and drinking water to families who have been living on rooftops for several days.

Some people told us they had spent seven days clinging to trees before being rescued.

Disease fears

Food and water are in short supply. Illness is also a main concern. One senior army officer said he was receiving reports of a growing number of cases of fever and dysentery.

Waiting for aid: Food and drinking water are in short supply

Tens of thousands of people from the area have fled in the past two days, walking or pushing handcarts through about 6km of waist-deep water to reach dry land.

But there is little support there either. Many are now living in makeshift shelters along the roadside.

Some religious and community groups have been handing out food but it is not enough to meet the need.

Now there are concerns that the health of these displaced people could worsen dramatically if more heavy rain hits the area in the coming days.