The torrent since Monday, Met officers said, was a result of a deep depression in the Bay of Bengal. The districts severely affected were West and East Midnapore, South 24 Parganas, not to mention the capital.

To take stock of the damages, the government held a meeting at the Writers' Buildings on Wednesday, presided over by Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta. Dasgupta said, "The rains are a cause for concern. We have kept aside Rs 2.5 crore for relief and rescue. Army and Air Force officers are already at it. We have so far rescued 50,000 people in West Midnapore while shelter has been given to another 40,000 -- also in the same district."

Midnapore town is flooded, West Midnapore's District Magistrate N S Nigam said. He said, "Deaths have been reported from several parts of the district. There has been 700 mm of rain in the last three days. The last 24 hours have seen the maximum downpour -- 400 mm. Four blocks here, including Narayangarh, Pingla and Sabong, are the worst-hit. The Air Force is working in Belda, evacuating people from danger zones. We have the relief ready. However, rains have let up a little, and we can hope for the best."

The Kapaleshwar and Keleghai rivers are flowing above the danger mark, district officials said, and have flooded several areas. At three spots, the gushing waters eroded parts of the embankment.

Of the 16 lakh stranded in various districts, 5,000 are from Midnapore town, officials said. Government sources said one person died in Midnapore town, two in Margram and one in Daton in West Midnapore on Wednesday. Another person was killed in South 24 Parganas, after a tree crashed on him.

Three companies of the 3rd Madras regiment, comprising 300 jawans, fanned out to the affected districts in speed boats on Wednesday afternoon. The Air Force team went on aerial surveys to monitor the rising waters.

Group Captain R K Das, spokesperson for the Eastern Command, said, "The Air Force has put into action the high-speed rescue boat Jemini, which is used on rough seas. Four divers and a team of doctors are also a part of the team." Meanwhile, the district administrations of both East and West Midnapore have arranged for as many as 50 country boats, apart from 32 mechanised boats for rescue efforts. Piles of 25,000 tarpaulin sheets, water pouches, dry food, baby food and emergency medicines are in stock. The state has also despatched 350 tonnes of rice and seven medical teams to these two districts.

In East Midnapore, all 25 blocks were affected, with several villages under flood waters. Patashpur was the hardest hit. Here, the embankment on the Keleghai river disintegrated on Tuesday night. Several areas of South 24 Parganas were also under water.

Meanwhile, the bodies of three people -- including Gautam Bose, former secretary to Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, are yet to be traced. Bose and six others were on their way to Kolkata from Orissa, when flood waters swept away their car on a bridge between Belda and Narayangarh on Tuesday night. Four of the passengers were rescued by villagers.