Many earthen dams in Sunderbans damaged due to high tidal waves, rain

High tidal waves owing to new moon and incessant rain have caused the water level to rise in the Sunderbans area, damaging earthen dams along various rivers even as IMD warned of heavier downpour

High tidal waves

owing to new moon and incessant rain have caused the water level to rise in the Sunderbans area, damaging earthen dams along various rivers even as the Met department on Friday warned of more heavy downpour due to formation of a low pressure area in the region.

Breaches in the earthen dams on embankments in the riverine region have damaged mud houses, sources said.

Farmers are apprehensive of major losses in yields as the saline water entering the fields would destroy the crops, including paddy, vegetables and also sweet water fish, the sources said.

Officials of the Irrigation department of the West Bengal government said that they are keeping a watch on the situation.

Sunderban Unnayan Parishad (Development Corporation) chairman Bankim Hazra said that the Irrigation department has allotted funds for construction and repair of new and existing dams in the region.

"Irrigation department will start construction work of pucca dams at several places from November," Hazra, MLA of Sagar constituency, said.

Local people have expressed apprehension that the continuing rain since the last few days would cause more damage to the embankment dams at several places with the water level rising in the rivers.

The Met department has warned of heavy rain in south Bengal, especially in the coastal districts of South and North 24 Parganas and East Midnapore with the possible formation of a fresh low pressure area in northwest Bay of Bengal on August 23 or 24.

The south Bengal districts have been experiencing moderate to heavy rain since August 19 owing to a low pressure area in the north Bay of Bengal.

Fishermen, who were advised not to venture into the Bay of Bengal till Friday owing to the system, were asked not to go to the sea from August 23 again.

The weatherman said that moderate to heavy rain is likely to occur in south Bengal districts from August 23 to 26, which may cause a rise in water level of rivers in the region and waterlogging in low-lying areas.