Muzaffarpur, Sept. 22: Hundreds of houses in the densely populated Ladora, Sumaira, Manpura, Birhima and Parsoni villages in the district’s bordering blocks of Kudhani and Motipur were flooded following a severe breach in Tirhut canal near Ladora and Birhima today.

Locals ran for safety and fled to higher ground as the canal water fast spread to larger parts of the affected villages. The strong water current washed away the paddy crop standing on hundreds of hectares. Tirhut canal water inundated houses located in the western and eastern parts of Ladora village.

Block development officer of Motipur Ram Yash Ram, along with the circle officer, Angad Singh, rushed to the spot to take stock of the situation. A team of engineers from the water resources department also inspected the spot of breach in Tirhut canal and launched measures to plug it.

Villagers of Sumaira accused that personnel of Gammon India Limited have dug up holes on the sides of Tirhut canal for work on the four-laning of NH-28 (Muzaffarpur-Hajipur road). This has created a fragile spot along the Tirhut canal that led to the breach.