Overnight showers inundate pockets of Kolkata, heavy rains likely in Bengal for next 4 days

Kolkata: Due to a low-pressure zone created over the Bay of Bengal, the city and several districts in south Bengal received heavy rainfall last night, leaving several streets both in the city and in the districts waterlogged, causing inconvenience to daily commuters on Friday morning.

According to the Met Office, the city and its adjoining areas will continue to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall in the next four days.

A weather bulletin issued by the Indian Meteorological Department said the low-pressure area over the north Bay of Bengal and the associated cyclonic circulation will intensify into a depression over the coastal areas of West Bengal during the next 24 hours.

“Under the influence of the above systems, widespread light to moderate rainfall with isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall and isolated extremely heavy rainfall is likely over districts of south Bengal during the next two days. Also, due to strong monsoon flow, widespread light to moderate rainfall with isolated heavy rainfall activity likely to continue in the subsequent four days over the districts of south Bengal,” read the weather bulletin.

According to the Met office, light to moderate rain/thundershower is likely to occur at most places over South Bengal on Friday, with heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places over Bankura and West Midnapore districts.

“Heavy to very heavy rainfall likely to occur at one or two places over Jhargram, East Midnapore, Purulia, Hooghly, and South 24 Parganas districts. Thunderstorm with Lightning and gusty wind (speed 30-40kmph) very likely to occur at one or two places over all the districts of south Bengal,” it said.

On Saturday, heavy rainfall is likely to occur at one or two places over Purulia, Bankura, Jhargram, West Midnapore, East and West Burdwan, and Birbhum districts of south Bengal.

On Sunday, heavy rainfall is likely to occur at one or two places over North and South 24 Parganas, East Midnapore, Murshidabad, Nadia, East Burdwan, and West Burdwan districts of South Bengal.

On Monday, heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely to occur at one or two places over Hooghly, West Midnapore, and East Burdwan districts, while heavy rainfall is likely to occur at one or two places over East Midnapore, South 24 Parganas, Howrah, Jhargram, Purulia, and Bankura districts of South Bengal. On Tuesday, heavy to very heavy rainfall likely to occur at one or two places in South Purulia, East and West Burdwan, Bankura districts.

Similarly, heavy rain is likely to occur in North Bengal over the weekend. Scattered showers are likely to occur in Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and Alipurduar on Saturday and Sunday.

Meanwhile, several streets in Kolkata were left waterlogged following overnight incessant rains. Over 100 mm of rain was recorded in several places in the city. Places such as Central Avenue, College Street, Ultadanga, MG Road, Chandni Chowk, Thanthania, Taratala, AJC Bose Road, VIP Road, and Kaikhali were submerged in ankle to knee-deep water. As a result, traffic movement was affected, causing great inconvenience to daily commuters.

Till 8:30 am on Friday, Dhapa recorded 107 mm of rain, Ultadanga received 101 mm of rain, Maniktala received 97 mm of rain, Thanthania received 77 mm of rain, and Ballygunge recorded 70 mm of rain.

Meanwhile, till Friday morning, 19 people were killed in lightning strikes in four districts of West Bengal since Wednesday afternoon, with Bankura recording the maximum number of such deaths (9), followed by East Burdwan (5) and other districts.

IANS