Malda, Sept 11: Over one lakh people were affected as swollen Ganga and Fulahar maintained their rising trend in West Bengal's Malda district today. About 88,000 people in 119 villages of Manikchak and Ratua number one blocks of the district were affected as river Ganga and Fulahar inundated adjoining areas, irrigation department sources said.

Another 20,000 people of Kaliachak number two block were rendered homeless as river Ganga, flowing 35 cm above the extreme danger level, caused massive erosion in certain parts of the block, including Panchanandapur, the sources said. The irrigation department is trying to build a 1500 metre 'Ring Bundh' at Kaliachak number two block to prevent further erosion of Ganga which is flowing 25.65 metre at present.

The water level in Ganga many rise another 60 cms by Sunday if its water flow cannot be checked, the sources said.

Meanwhile river Mahananda also maintained rising trend though the water level was much below the danger mark, the sources said. The Mahananda flows by areas like Englishbazar and Chanchol of the district. Bureau Report