Bhubaneswar, Dec. 4 -- Residents in Kendrapara district face growing concern as rising sea levels, linked to climate change, threaten their coastal villages. The relentless sea has been persistently advancing and is particularly affecting Satabhaya and Pentha regions under the Rajnagar block.

A geo-synthetic wall, erected in 2014 as a protective measure, is now under threat.

This half-kilometre-long barrier, constructed at a cost of around Rs 33 Crore, was set up as a pilot project to guard against high tides.

Presently, the wall is showing signs of disintegration, with gabion boxes breaking apart and stones being swept away. This 505-metre structure, once a bulwark against the advancing sea, is gradually yielding to the relentless tid...