High tides triggered by a low-pressure formation over the Bay of Bengal since Wednesday night, coupled with full moon, triggered inundation of some parts of the Digha-Mandarmani coastal zone and forced over 1,000 residents of five villages to take refuge at local schools and two cyclone shelters.

The development came as a surprise to local people who had witnessed minimal damage to the area during Cyclone Amphan on May 20.

“The under-construction Digha-Mandarmani metal road was seriously breached by high waves on Wednesday night,” an official of the East Midnapore district administration said, referring to the chief minister’s “dream project” of a scenic route, christened Marine Drive between the two beach towns.
Sources said the worst-affected villages included Shyampur, Jalda, Chandpur and Tengamari, where agricultural plots and brackish fishing waters were overrun.

“Nearly 100 families have been shifted to the cyclone shelters at Tajpur and Jalda as well as a few local schools,” said an official, adding that cooked food was being provided at the evacuees.

“The full moon worsened the low pressure formation causing waves as high as seven metres. The damage is worse that what we suffered on May 20,” Ramnagar 1 block development officer Bishnupada Ray.

A team of panchayat samiti functionaries and irrigation department engineers on Thursday surveyed coastal parts of Digha to repair Marine Drive as soon as possible.

“It is important to revive and complete the project,” said panchayat president Nitai Sar.