A 175-year-old Shiva temple in Ratua collapsed into Ganga on Sunday
Malda: A 175-year-old Shiva temple in Ratua collapsed into Ganga on Sunday as flood conditions and riverbank erosion worsened across the district. Experts warned that water levels will continue to rise until Sept 9 after heavy inflow from Bihar. The situation in Bhutni deteriorated after an embankment breached on the night of Sept 2, inundating the island. Constructed in 2025 at a cost of Rs 6.5 crore, the dyke’s failure prompted criticism from local MLA Gour Mandal, who alleged poor construction quality and blamed the previous TMC administration for the infrastructure failure. At least 62 villages across three panchayats in Bhutni are submerged, alongside the local police station. In Ratua, 1,725 people have been relocated to relief camps set up in various schools. At Khaskol in English Bazar, 63 families have taken shelter at Khaskol High School.
Beyond Manikchak and Ratua, English Bazar was also hit, with substantial tracts of land and mango orchards lost to erosion at Khaskol. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Kolkata | Silver Rate in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata | Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Petrol Price in Kolkata | Diesel Price in Kolkata | CNG Price in Kolkata | LPG Price in Kolkata Stay updated with the latest Kolkata news.
“Two relief centres have been set up for displaced residents, and food is being provided to those taking shelter on the remaining sections of the embankment,” Ghosh said. On Bhutni island, the worst-affected area under Manikchak block, the sole local hospital was forced to close, with primary care arrangements shifted to the panchayat office. Pregnant women from Bhutni have been moved to two school buildings in Manikchak. State ministers are on the ground as the administration carries out relief operations on a war footing. Alok Mandal, a local schoolteacher in his 50s, recalled: “In our childhood, the river was nearly 15km away from the temple. It was immensely popular among devotees, and a weekly market centred on it drew thousands, even from neighbouring Bihar. Gouri Shankar Ghosh, minister in charge of mass education extension and library services, visited Bhutni to oversee operations. He added that constructing a new embankment is not feasible during the active crisis and that a fresh plan will be drawn up once floodwaters recede. Download the TOI App.
The temple at Muniramtola in Ratua had faced the threat of erosion since last year, but temporary protective work had kept it standing. As water levels surged, a large portion of the riverbank eroded on Saturday before the river swallowed the entire structure on Sunday evening.