India: Unprecedented cracks surrounding three to four km long areas in Malda.

[Khan]

FEAR AS LARGE CRACKS APPEAR IN MANY AREAS IN MALDA OLD BLOCK

Jul 02  2013

Tension has gripped vast areas of Old Malda block as large cracks have been found in different areas. The cracks have generated fear among the inhabitants of Dumurtala, Singachari, Adampur and Nimuakamat villages in the Muchia gram panchayat of Malda police station area.
Those cracks were mostly found in the mango orchards and agricultural land of those areas.
Locals said that they were reeling under such a spell of fear that they were avoiding visits to those orchards or agricultural land. They also claimed that those cracks were visible after the incessant rain in the last two three days. People from the neighbouring areas also crowded those areas to see those ‘unusual cracks.’
The Panchayat pradhan of Muchia gram panchayat, Mr Uttam Chowdhury, said: "Following incessant rain for four days, lands at Dumurtala, Singachari, Adampur and Nimuakamat villages have developed unprecedented cracks surrounding three to four km long areas. The villagers are confused over the sudden generation of such cracks. At some places the cracks are quite wide and somewhere there are narrow ones. At some places the cracks are so deep that even a full-length bamboo could be easily plunged into.”
“It is difficult to assess the depth of the cracks. The matter has been brought to the notice of the district administrations,” Mr Chowdhury said.
The District Magistrate, Mr Godala Kiran Kumar, said: “We have received the information about the crack. There is nothing to be unnecessarily scared. We have requested villagers not to panic. The Additional district magistrate NK Biswas is being sent there to submit a report.”
“We would have to take help from the experts of Geologial Survey of India (GSI) to understand the nature of such cracks and the reasons for developing those,” Mr Kumar added.
A teacher in Geography, Mr Abul Kalam Azad Anuatzaman, said: “Malda is identified as an earthquake prone zone after the Himalayan region. Three hundred feet below the surface there are hard stones extended up to the Rajmahal rock. Under that there is Chhotonagpur plateau. If that moves or a tremor occurs even 300 feet below the surface, such cracks may develop.”  “However, GSI experts can better explain such cracks,” he said.

Source