West Bengal Rains: Darjeeling Toy Train Shed Collapse Injures Eight
Heavy rains in West Bengal caused a toy train shed collapse in Darjeeling, injuring eight workers, and triggered waterlogging in Kolkata and a landslide in Paschim Bardhaman.
Persistent heavy rain and thunderstorms continued to disrupt life across West Bengal on Wednesday, causing structural damage, waterlogging, and a landslide in different parts of the state.
In Darjeeling, a shed attached to the iconic toy train service collapsed under the weight of the rain and gusty winds. The incident left at least eight railway workers injured. Officials confirmed there were no fatalities. The injured were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment, and debris was cleared from the road to restore normal traffic movement.
The downpour also triggered a landslide in the Andal area of Paschim Bardhaman district. Local residents attributed the recurring landslide to the region's numerous abandoned and closed mines, which remain a persistent source of anxiety for those living nearby. In the Asansol region's Baraboni area, a village road was submerged.
Kolkata and its adjoining areas faced waterlogging for a second consecutive day. Key thoroughfares in Park Circus, Ballygunge, Central Avenue, and Behala were affected, causing significant traffic snarls and hardship for daily commuters.
In Bankura district, the Bhadul Bridge over the Dwarakeswar River was submerged, severing road connectivity to at least 20 villages and stranding many residents.
With water levels rising in the Damodar River due to rainfall in Jharkhand, the Damodar Valley Corporation released 99,800 cusecs of water from its reservoirs on September 2. The Durgapur, Maithon, and Panchet barrages are also releasing water, raising fears of flooding in the south Bengal region.
The India Meteorological Department has forecast continued rainfall over the next two days, though intensity is expected to decrease as the low-pressure area over Gangetic West Bengal moves towards Madhya Pradesh.
Rainfall records for the 24 hours ending Wednesday morning showed Sriniketan in Birbhum district receiving the highest amount at 263 mm, followed by Burnpur in Paschim Bardhaman at 214 mm and Alipur in Kolkata at 127 mm.