Mumbai: Maharashtra minister Tanaji Sawant has attributed the breach in Tiware dam in Ratnagiri district, which claimed the lives of 18 people, to the weakening of wall by crabs.
Calling the dam breach incident a "natural calamity", the newly-appointed Water Conservation Minister also said whatever is destined to happen, will happen.
Talking to reporters, Sawant Thursday said officials and locals had informed him that a large number of crabs have weakened the wall of the dam.
"The wall was weakened by a large number crabs and after it was pointed out to the government officials, some remedial measures were taken up," he said.
"The SIT appointed by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will come up with its findings soon and we will come to know what exactly went wrong," he said.
The dam, located in Chiplun tehsil, breached late Tuesday night following torrential rains in the coastal Konkan region.
The minister also hinted that the incident could also be a fallout of torrential rains in the dam's catchment area.