At least 100 acres of crops, especially potatoes, were submerged after irrigation water released by central utility Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) flooded vast areas of Hooghly’s Khanakul on Sunday.

A source said the DVC waters started gushing in through a temporarily repaired dyke of a branch of the river Mundeshwari in Khanakul’s Balaichak, resulting in an untimely flood-like situation.

“I grew potatoes on my four bighas. The entire crop went underwater,” said farmer Sufala Sana.

The administration involved the agricultural marketing department to ensure that potatoes that were saved would be bought at ₹10 per kg through Sufal Bangla stalls.

Farmers accused the DVC of releasing excessive water without assessing the recent rainfall and the administration of delaying the permanent repair of the dyke.

Local TMC and BJP leaders blamed each other.

“The DVC released irrigation water without assessing rainfall,” said TMC leader Madan Mohan Koley.

BJP leader Rumpa Mondal countered: “Our repeated requests to repair the dyke fast went unheeded. We believe this was so because the local bodies are run by the BJP.”