india

Updated: Jul 05, 2019 09:07 IST

Maharashtra Water Conservation Minister Tanaji Sawant on Thursday said that the breach in Tiware dam in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra, which claimed the lives of 18 people, was due to a large number of crabs that gathered around the dam, thereby causing leakage.

“There were no leakages earlier. Leakage happened after a large number of crabs gathered around the dam. Locals brought the issue to our notice and our department acted on it. The incident is unfortunate,” Sawant told media persons here.

On being asked if the construction was weak, the minister said that he came to know the shoddy construction work from the farmers and villagers of the area.

National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has recovered 18 dead bodies so far from the dam, which breached in Ratnagiri district on June 3, creating a flood-like situation downstream.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed his grief over the loss of lives in the incident and ordered an inquiry in the matter which will be helmed by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) under a secretary rank official.

Fadnavis has also asked his Water Resources & Irrigation Minister Girish Mahajan to visit

Ratnagiri and provide relief to affected families.

Eighteen bodies were recovered till Thursday after the dam breached due to heavy rain causing a flood-like situation in seven downstream villages.

Twelve houses near the dam have been washed away. Two National Disaster Response Force were deployed for relief operations.

Bhendewadi area is also affected due to this incident which falls under Tiware Gram Panchayat.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)