West Bengal flood toll 23

Twenty-three persons have died in flash floods in East and West Midnapore districts of West Bengal during the past two days, officials said.

West Midnapore District Magistrate N S Nigam said 15 persons died in his district. All 15 deaths were reported from Sabang, Pingla and Narayangarh. Of these, Narayangarh alone accounted for 11 deaths.

The bodies of Gautam Basu, former personal secretary of Trinamool Congress chief, Mamata Banerjee, and two of his friends were recoved from Narayanpur on Thursday afternoon. They were washed away on Tuesday while moving in a car.

East Midnapore Sabhadipati Niranjan Shihi said that eight persons died in the district in the floods. The deaths occurred in Patashpur and Egra blocks, he said.

Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta, however, told newsmen at Kolkata that nine deaths were reported from West Midnapore and one unconfirmed death from East Midnapore.