8-month-old girl dies after rain-weakened earthen wall collapses in Purulia

A heartbreaking incident occurred on Monday in Jatiatyan village under Puncha block in Purulia district, West Bengal. An eight-month-old infant girl was lying beside a pot of water while her mother, Sonali Soren, briefly went to fetch oil and soap for her bath. Heavy rain had weakened a neighbouring earthen wall, which collapsed with a loud noise all of a sudden. The wall buried the infant under mud and debris, leading to her tragic death on the spot.

Neighbours rushed to the spot after hearing the sound and immediately began rescue efforts. They removed the soil and found the aluminium pot twisted from the impact. The baby was rushed to the Puncha Block Primary Health Centre, where doctors declared her brought dead. The mother was inconsolable, stating she had left her daughter in the usual bathing spot for just a few moments. Locals noted that the continuous rain since morning had made the mud walls extremely unstable.

Local residents, including neighbour Kartik Chandra Mandi, described rushing to help after the loud crash but could not save the child. The incident once again highlights the risks posed by weak earthen structures during heavy rainfall in rural Purulia. Authorities have been urged to create awareness and support for safer housing in vulnerable villages. The latest tragedy has cast a deep shadow of grief over the entire area, with residents highlighting the vulnerability of mud houses during the monsoon season.