The continuous erosion along the banks of the Ganga in Murshidabad’s Samserganj has once again wreaked havoc with at least six more houses being swallowed by the river in Sikdarpur village on Friday.

Fearing further destruction, many residents have fled the area, abandoning their homes and land to the advancing erosion. In a desperate bid to save their belongings, around 60 families dismantled their homes on Friday, relocating to safer areas. The Sikdarpur villagers are gripped by fear as the erosion threatens to engulf more properties.

Rehesan Sheikh, who works as a migrant labourer in Odisha, rushed back home after receiving an urgent call from his wife. But by the time he arrived, his newly built house had already been claimed by the river.

As tears rolled down his cheeks, Rehesan said: “I worked so hard to build the house, but it’s all gone now.”

The erosion was so sudden and intense that residents lost everything before they could comprehend the danger.

“The river swallowed six houses in just 10 minutes,” he added, noting that his wife couldn’t even save basic household items while trying to protect their children.

Just four days earlier, the nearby Loharpur area witnessed significant devastation, with nearly 300 people left homeless as several houses were permanently lost to the river because of the crumbling embankment.

The powerful current of the Ganga has also devastated a 40mt stretch of the 20-year-old earthen dyke maintained by the irrigation department in Sikdarpur, heightening panic among residents. The water level, dangerously high, threatens to inundate adjacent areas within the next 24 hours if the incessant rainfall continues.

Since Thursday night, the river has eroded approximately 100mt of land, including homes and agricultural fields. A mosque situated on the Ganga’s banks is also at risk of being lost forever.

By Wednesday afternoon, displaced families had taken refuge in Nuton Sikdarpur Primary School, while others sought shelter with relatives in nearby areas, keeping a close watch on the worsening situation.

Local residents have criticised the district administration for its lack of preventive measures, despite the area being identified as erosion-prone. They said only minimal efforts like piling sandbags had been undertaken but that proved insufficient during the monsoon.