Flooding in Malda’s Bhutni area of West Bengal continued on Monday, leaving around 70 villages under water and thousands of people displaced, with some families taking shelter on rooftops while local traders began sending food supplies to affected residents. The situation has remained severe after heavy rain and the failure of an embankment, with rescue and relief operations continuing in the area.
For many families in Bhutni, the problem is no longer just the rising water.
They have been living with it for days.
Homes remain surrounded by floodwater and thousands of people have been forced to leave their houses and move to relief camps or safer places. Some families are staying on the roofs of their homes while waiting for the water to recede.
Local traders have also stepped in, sending food supplies to people affected by the flooding.
The situation is still changing
The flooding has affected several parts of Malda, with Bhutni among the worst-hit areas.
The Ganga has risen well above its extreme danger level, while erosion has damaged land and infrastructure. More than 100 boats have reportedly been used in evacuation efforts.
An embankment failure has made the situation worse.
Earlier reports said a section of an embankment breached and allowed floodwater to spread across the island. A local hospital had to shut because of the flooding, with basic healthcare being shifted to a panchayat office. Pregnant women were also moved to safer buildings as a precaution.
This is not only a flood story
What stands out today is how people are coping after several days of flooding.
Families are trying to protect whatever they can. Local businesses are sending food. Rescue teams are moving people out of dangerous areas.
But the immediate needs remain basic – food, drinking water, shelter and medical care.
For people who have lost access to their homes, even a few days of flooding can mean losing work, livestock, household belongings and access to schools and healthcare.
The relief operation therefore has to continue beyond the first rescue.
