Rains kill three persons in Purulia

Purulia, Aug 18 (UNI) Two women and a child were killed and about a thousand people rendered homeless as rains pounded this drought prone district of West Bengal since last night, officials said.

Train services at Adra section of the South Eastern Railway (SER) have been disrupted following reports of crack appearing on upline between Purulia and Tamna stations today.

Police said a mother (25) and her two-year-old son died when their mud house fell on them at Chaklota village under Raghunathpur sub-division in Purulia district today. Another woman (48) died in a similar incident at Natunpara.

At Raghunathpur and Purulia's western section, heavy rains forced some 1,000 people to leave home for safety.

Met office said about 130 mm rainfall was recorded in twelve hours between 2300 hours to 1100 hours in the district.

SER Ddivisional Regional Manager Om Prakash said rail tracks of uplines between Purulia and Tamna stations were unsafe as water from swelling Kangsabati had eroded the earth near the tracks.

UNI