Bhadrak: Panic prevailed among locals after an embankment of the Baitarani river caved in near Sathibankuda under Chandbali block of Bhadrak district on Friday night.
According to available information, a 100-feet crack had developed and the earth caved in at a few places.
Residents of four panchayats – Olaga, Aradi, Nandapur and Sundarpur under the block – are in a state of panic as the breach in the embankment might trigger a flood-like situation in the region.
The locals alleged that the contractor concerned has denied repairing the embankment after a dispute with the villagers.
They further alleged that the embankment caved in due to sand mining from the riverbed on regular basis.
