Control room opened, assistance assured: Mamata on Amarnath flash floods

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed condolences on Saturday to the families of those who died in the Amarnath flash floods, assuring all forms of assistance to the affected.

Banerjee added that a control room -- 033-22143526 -- had been opened at state secretariat Nabanna.

At least 16 people were killed as tents and community kitchens near the cave shrine were swamped with mud and rocks that came hurtling down with a gush of water after a spell of rain on Friday evening.

A woman from Baruipur in South 24 Parganas district is among the deceased and 12 people from Jalpaiguri are stranded there, according to Nabanna sources.

''Shocked and stunned by the Amarnath disaster. Sincere condolences to kins (sic) of the victims, solidarity to the trapped and stranded,'' Banerjee tweeted.

''Opened (a) control room in Nabanna (033- 22143526), activated our Delhi RC (resident commissioner) office, connected J&K government for rescue of pilgrims from Bengal,'' she said.

The chief minister added that all help would be extended to the affected families.