At least five people lost their lives to electrocution in Kolkata on Tuesday after relentless overnight showers left large parts of the city and surrounding areas submerged, crippling daily life just days before Durga Puja.
The downpour, which began late on Monday, inundated several neighbourhoods under knee-deep water, paralysed traffic and forced people to wade through flooded streets. Visuals showed water gushing into homes, housing complexes and marketplaces, bringing the city to a standstill.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the Alipore weather station recorded 239 mm of rainfall by 5.30 am, which rose to 247.4 mm an hour later. In its bulletin, the IMD confirmed that Kolkata received 247.5 mm of rainfall over a 24-hour period ending at 6.30 am on 23 September.
The intensity of the rainfall was particularly severe in the southern and eastern parts of the city. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) reported extremely heavy rainfall in several pockets: Garia Kamdahari recorded 332 mm, Jodhpur Park 285 mm, Kalighat 280.2 mm, Topsia 275 mm, Ballygunge 264 mm and Chetla 262 mm.
Other parts of the city were not spared either. Mominpur received 234 mm of rain, Chingrihata 237 mm, Palmer Bazar 217 mm, Dhapa 212 mm, CPT Canal 209.4 mm, Ultadanga 207 mm, Kudghat 203.4 mm, Pagaldanga (Tangra) 201 mm, Kulia (Tangra) 196 mm and Thanthania 195 mm.
The incessant rainfall disrupted rail operations. Tracks in the Howrah station yard, Sealdah South station yard, Chitpur North Cabin, multiple car sheds and parts of Sealdah yard were left under water. Long-distance trains were also hit. The Howrah–New Jalpaiguri, Howrah–Gaya and Howrah–Jamalpur Vande Bharat Express services had to be rescheduled due to waterlogged tracks in the Howrah division.
Kolkata Metro services were interrupted in several stretches as water seeped into tunnels and tracks. Air services, however, remained largely unaffected, with the airport authorities deploying high-capacity pumps around the apron and inside the premises to prevent flooding.
The IMD attributed the extreme weather to a low-pressure system over the northeast Bay of Bengal, which is expected to move northwestwards and bring more rainfall across South Bengal districts including Purba and Paschim Medinipur, South 24 Parganas, Jhargram and Bankura until Wednesday. A fresh low-pressure area is likely to develop over the east-central Bay of Bengal around 25 September, which may lead to another round of heavy rain.
The timing of the downpour has also disrupted Durga Puja preparations. Several puja organisers reported pandals flooded with water and artisans struggling to complete idol decorations. Traders in festive markets also complained of fewer buyers braving the rain. “The rain has thrown everything into disarray. Work on the pandal has stopped and we don’t know if we’ll be able to finish in time,” said a puja organiser in south Kolkata.
