Naugachia, Aug. 25: Hundreds of residents of Raghopur in the Naugachia sub-division today left the village in search of safer places after the swelling Ganga washed away nearly 700m of an embankment late last night.

Water resources department, Bhagalpur division, Kailu Sardar said the Raghopur-Kazikoraiya embankment was damaged around 10.30pm.

He added that flood-fighting activities were continuing on a war footing in Raghopur and neighbouring villages in the Kharik block, around 280km north-east of Patna.

He added that nearly 300m of the embankment was washed away by the river on August 15 and 17.

Water resources minister Bijay Kumar Choudhary and principal secretary Afzal Amanullah had visited Naugachia on August 23 to inspect the flood-fighting arrangements in the village.

Naugachia sub-divisional officer Sushil Kumar said the administration has asked the residents of Raghopur to evacuate the place near the embankment.

“Nearly 40 bighas of cultivated land has been inundated. The approach road to the embankment was also washed out away by the floodwaters,” he added.

A water resources department officer said: “It is not possible for us to counter the river from flowing into new areas through the damaged embankment. We have requested the administration to take care of the residents.”

He said panic ran high in the entire region and people from the village have started migrating to safer places.

He added that officials of the department were taking all steps to check land erosion.