West Bengal: 55 houses swept away by Ganga in Malda district (Representational image)
At least 55 houses were washed away due to erosion in river Ganga in West Bengal's Malda district, an official said on Monday. A sudden fall of water level of Ganga caused severe erosion at China bazar village under Birnagar gram panchayat on Sunday, Block Development Officer of Kaliachak Block III, Gautam Dutta said.
The BDO said around 70 metre of land and 55 houses has been washed away in the erosion. Fifty-five families have become homeless as their houses have been washed away, he said, adding that they have been shifted to safer places and provided with tarpaulin, rice and other relief materials, he said.
The BDO said that Malda District Magistrate Rajarshee Mitra talked to the Farakka Barrage authorities and advised them to discharge water through lock gates in a controlled way so that the rate of erosion could be minimised.
