SILIGURI, 15 JUNE: Nearly 10,000 people of Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts have been affected due torrential rains since yesterday. Rains have inundated many houses in the Mal, Washabari, Nagrakata, Paschim Dhantala, Porajhar areas. Several houses have been also submerged along the Fulbari canal. Some areas including Milan More, Jodu Bhita and Karaibari under Matigara block in Darjeeling district are waterlogged. Administrative officials have started rescue operations and the affected people have been moved to safer places. Houses of more than 1,000 families have been waterlogged at Paschim Dhantala, while many goats and chickens have been washed away. Many residents alleged that the Fulbari canal authorities did not open the canal gate and that caused the flood-like situation in the area. "From 2 a.m. last night our area is getting submerged but had the canal authorities opened the gates on time then the inundation might have been avoided," said resident Hafiz Ali, who lost several chickens and stored rice in the flood. Another resident, Mr Indrajit Ghosh, said the administration did not take any step. "We have informed police officers and the block development officer but no one took any step to tackle the situation," Mr Ghosh said. Around 175 families at Porajhar have been affected. The north Bengal affairs minister, Mr Gautam Deb, visited some of the flood-hit areas and assured that the government would take all possible steps to deal with the situation.