The train was crossing a bridge over the flooded Bagmati River during severe weather when carriages left the track and plunged into the water. Estimates of the death toll range from around 300 confirmed to as many as 800 or more, as many bodies were never recovered.
Accounts differ over the immediate cause — braking for an obstruction on the track, or cyclone-force winds. The disaster remains the deadliest railway accident in Indian history.
Why this event still matters
Historical incidents shape the rules that protect people today — building codes, evacuation policy, warning systems and inspection regimes almost always trace back to a specific disaster. Studying Bihar Train Disaster alongside current events is how preparedness improves.
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