Because of sudden rise in water level in the Teesta, an embankment on Dinajpur main canal under Teesta Irrigation Project at Doani fully damaged on August 28.

As a result, water of the irrigation canal falls in the Charalkata river, a tributary of the Teesta. Two villages surrounding the damaged point at Kathali village under Jaldhaka upazila have been flooded.

Thousands of hectares of land in seven upazilas under Nilphamari and Dinajpur districts have also been affected.

Sources in Nilphamari Water Development Board (WDB) and local people informed The Daily Star that due to heavy pressure of water on the embankment of Dinajpur main canal, it started damaging from Thursday.

Regarding the cause of damage, the WDB and local people gave different versions. The WDB authorities in Nilphamari informed that the damage was caused due to digging of the embankment by farmers to make a drain for irrigation of lands beside the canal while local people alleged that due to lack of proper maintenance, the incident happened.

However, the WDB has called tender to repair the damaged embankment.