India opens all Farakka dam gates, spurring flood fears in Bangladesh's north
Staff Correspondent
The Farakka barrage management authority in India’s West Bengal state on Saturday opened all the 108 floodgates on the country’s Ganges river, sparking fears of flood in Bangladesh’s north, even as the country continues to grapple with flooding in its east.
The release of at least 11 lakh cusec of river water would also cause flooding in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district, and water have already started entering villages along the Ganges river in the district.
The barrage management authority opened the floodgates to ease the pressure on the barrage created by a sudden surge in Ganges water levels, thanks to incessant heavy rains in upstream Indian states of Bihar and Jharkhand.
When the floodgates were opened, water was flowing 77.34 metres above the danger level, general manager of the barrage management authority told reporters.
