WDB sources here said, about half a kilometre of the flood control embankment at Khajura, four kilometres west of Kuakata sea beach, was damaged by recent tidal surges. Part of it was washed away.

Hamidu Rahman, joint chief of planning commission, visited the damaged dam on Sunday. Hamidur told WDB higher authorities about the situation over phone from the spot and they allotted the money to repair the dam, the sources said.

"Repair work has been started and sand bags are being dumped at the damaged part to avoid further damage", WDB Executive Engineer Jaheer Uddin Ahmed told this correspondent yesterday.

The WDB had constructed 981 kilometre embankments and set the sluice gates to protect the coastal areas from check tidal surge.