A portion of the Kani river embankment, a branch of the Baitarani, collapsed near Patana village under Tarpada panchayat early Sunday morning, forcing authorities to evacuate villagers as floodwaters surged.
Locals reported that a tree along the embankment was swept away overnight, weakening the soil. By around 5 a.m., a 30-foot-long and 15-foot-wide stretch of the embankment gave way completely.
Officials from the Water Resources Department rushed to the site and began emergency repair work, but continuous rainfall has hampered restoration efforts.
Meanwhile, Fire Services personnel evacuated villagers to safer ground along the Baitarani embankment. At 7 a.m., the river was flowing at 18.38 metres, above the danger mark of 18.33 metres, raising fears of further flooding.
