Kolkata, Sep 25 (IANS): Following the formation of a new low-pressure area in the central-western Bay of Bengal, alerts have been issued in 18 districts of West Bengal after heavy rains which resulted in the worsening of the flood situation.

A red alert has also been issued in the three districts of north Bengal Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri and Kalimpong. The district administration is apprehending fresh landslides in the hills of north Bengal following the heavy rains.

On Wednesday, part of the National High 10 was blocked due to the landslides.

Officials said that an orange alert has been issued in five districts in South Bengal while a yellow alert has been issued in 10 districts of West Bengal.

Officials said that the formation of a new low-pressure area has created further problems for the administration, especially at a time when the flood situation in the state had started improving.

“If there are heavy rains in the next couple of days there would be fresh release of flood water from the barrages of Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC), which will worsen the situation again,” said an official.

The DVC Staff Association wrote to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee requesting the latter to reconsider the state government’s decision to withdraw from representation in the Damodar Valley Reservoir Regulation Committee (DVRRC).

Association’s general secretary Ashok Ghosh said that the state government’s decision to withdraw representation in DVRRC will actually help the Union government in implementing its plan to corporatise the functioning of DVC.