Five thousand residents of the Ghoramara island in the Sagar block are still waiting for relief following the cyclonic storm Aila, which devastated the tiny island of six sq kms, on Monday.

Out of the eight-km-long embankment that protected the island, more than three km have been washed away because of the high tides on Monday. The residents feel that the embankments should be repaired immediately otherwise they would be forced to leave the island.

Over 100 huts were damaged and uprooted on Monday. Tidal waves submerged the majority of the Ghoramara area, breaching the embankments. According to Pinaki Pradhan, Block Divisional Officer of Sagar island, Aila has also left the paddy fields damaged, which is one of main livelihood of the people of the island.

West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi had visited this island in February this year and had urged the inhabitants not be scared and to have faith in the local administration. The Governor’s visit was in connection to have an on-the spot inspection of how Ghoramara island — at the confluence of the Hooghly river and the Bay of Bengal —was gradually sinking because of a rise in the sea water level following global warming.

Sujata Das, panchayat pradhan of Ghoramara island, alleged that the BDO’s office has not yet been able to despatch relief materials like tarpaulin sheets along with dry food, forcing her to rush to the BDO office.

“More than Rs 10 lakh is required for an immediate repair of the embankment. But only Rs 3 lakh is available at present. The irrigation department has not been maintaining the embankments for a long time as the island was sinking,” said Das.

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