Ganjam, Odisha: What was once a village surrounded by land is now fighting a losing battle against the sea.Heart-stopping visuals from Podampeta village show a concrete house collapsing into the Bay of Bengal after relentless coastal erosion weakened the ground beneath it.

The dramatic incident has once again highlighted the worsening crisis along Odisha’s coastline.Residents say the sea was nearly a kilometre away just a few years ago. Today, waves crash against the few homes still standing. Of the nearly 500 houses that once dotted the village, only a handful remain, with hundreds of families forced to abandon their homes.

The danger now extends far beyond Podampeta. Around 17 villages under Palibandha and Ramagada Gram Panchayats are reportedly facing severe coastal erosion, flooding, and the threat of displacement.

Locals are demanding urgent government intervention, including permanent coastal protection projects, rehabilitation for affected families, and long-term measures to curb the advancing sea.

Experts warn that rising sea levels, stronger wave action, and changing coastal conditions are accelerating shoreline erosion along India’s east coast, making Ganjam one of the country’s most vulnerable coastal regions.

For the families living here, every high tide brings the same terrifying question: Will their home be the next to disappear into the sea ?

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