Flood situation improves, death toll 79 in WB
1 Aug 2007, 0240 hrs IST,PTI

KOLKATA: The flood situation in north Bengal showed slight improvement on Tuesday, as the death toll in the entire state stood at 79, West Bengal Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta said.

With a decrease in the rainfall, the overall flood situation in north Bengal has improved slightly. We are hoping that it would improve further, Dasgupta told newsmen.

In reply to a question, he said that each of the families of the 79 dead would be given Rs one lakh in compensation. Crop loss in the state amounted to Rs 390 crore, he said.

Stating that 58 lakh people have been affected by the floods, he said that the government had allotted Rs 170 crore for relief and rehabilitation.