The flood situation in South Bengal on Thursday has worsened with death toll rising to nine. Worried by the gravity of the situation in East Medinipur and West Medinipur the state government has deployed three companies of Army personnel to expedite relief and rescue operation. Three more companies of the Army have been asked to join the relief operation from Friday. Eastern Air Command has also been pressed for dropping food packets and relief materials in Flood-hit areas of West and East Midnapur since Wednesday evening while flood waters submerged parts of a new district, Bankura. Chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on Friday will oversee the affected areas to have a first-hand assessment of the extent of damage and loss by the flash flood. After an emergency meeting with the chief minister, finance minister Ashim Dasgupta said, "Nearly 1.5 lakh people have been marooned in two districts in South Bengal. Although one lakh people have been rescued so far and 40,000 people have been provided shelter in relief camps. The death toll shot up to nine and is likely to rise." More than 21 lakh people have been affected in the worst floods in southern districts of West and East Midnapore. "We have pressed 27 speedboats into service and 105 more boats will be joined in the relief works," he added.