GORAKHPUR, Oct. 5 -- Heavy overnight rain accompanied by strong winds battered the Gorakhpur division after midnight on Friday, triggering widespread disruption across the region. Uprooted trees, snapped power lines, and waterlogging brought train and bus services to a halt, paralysing normal life. In Deoria, the worst-affected district, official records reported 136 mm of rainfall within 24 hours. The torrential downpour uprooted more than 300 electricity poles, plunging the entire district-including Maharishi Devrahva Baba Medical College and the district hospital-into darkness. Government offices and bus depots were also left waterlogged. Over 18 trains were halted at various locations, including Baitalpur and Gauri Bazar, while a dozen more were diverted from the Kaptanganj-Paniyava route after two large trees fell on the Overhead Electrification (OHE) line on Saturday morning. Several trains were cancelled. Affected train services include Vaishali Express detained at Gorakhpur Junction; Poorvanchal Express detained at Gorakhpur Cantt; Lucknow-Patliputra Express detained at Gorakhpur, with the possibility of short-termination; Intercity Express (15104/15103) detained at Bhatni Junction; Trains 18201, 15934, 15231, and 15903 diverted via the Ayodhya/Varanasi route; and Trains 15130, 15129, 05163, and 05164 cancelled Railway engineering and OHE teams were deployed to the affected sites to clear debris and restore services. Passengers were kept informed through announcements and inquiry systems. Indian Railways expressed regret for the inconvenience caused. Meanwhile, Divya Mittal, district magistrate of Deoria, convened an emergency meeting on Saturday, directing officials to prioritise restoration work. "Power supply to headquarters and hospitals will be reinstated first, followed by gradual restoration in other zones," she said. Amit Kumar Singh, chief engineer of the power corporation, reported large-scale damage: "Around 300 poles are broken, multiple transformers are damaged, and main lines are severed. Our teams are working round the clock, but persistent rain and gale-force winds are hindering progress." In Gorakhpur, 36 mm of rainfall was recorded in the past 24 hours. The showers continued until Saturday afternoon, causing a sharp dip in temperature-from 36degC to 29.5degC. The meteorological department has forecast more rain as a deep depression persists over the region. HTC...