Indian dams close to collapse

Villagers move to safer grounds after the leak was detected

BHOPAL, India -- Officials in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh are warning that up to five dams in the region may collapse following heavy monsoon rains.

Around 12,000 people from a dozen surrounding villages were evacuated after the 80-year-old Ahmadpur Dam started leaking last Friday.

Although it has now been repaired, officials are keeping a close eye on the new problem dams.

"The leakage is minor. But we have evacuated people from the surrounding 12 villages as a precautionary measure," police superintendent Zaidi Prasad told Reuters news agency.

The incident follows the collapse of the Jamunia irrigation dam on Wednesday, which left scores dead and huge areas of land ruined.

Authorities have so far recovered the bodies of 25 people, while 75 others remain missing.

'Dangerous'

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As many as 590 houses were washed away in the incident, while over 3,000 acres of cropland were destroyed.

The Ahmadpur dam is one of 832 minor semi-concrete earthen dams in Madhya Pradesh that is used mainly for irrigation.

Officials have marked more than 100 of these dams in the state for urgent repairs, while some that are marked 'dangerous' are also closely being watched.

India is bracing for more waters as heavy monsoon rain is forecast to continue at least until late Tuesday.

Nearly 1,000 people have died in eastern India, Nepal and Bangladesh since July due to widespread flooding, landslides, and disease from the monsoonal rains.

Reuters contributed to this report.