City gets first showers after 60 days, more rain likely next week

Kolkata: Moderate rainfall with squally winds up to 64 km/hour was experienced across Kolkata and its adjoining areas on Saturday evening which saw the season's first nor'wester (Kalbaishakhi) giving respite to people from the sweltering heat.

The Regional Meteorological Centre in Alipore has predicted heavy thundershowers in various South Bengal districts, including Kolkata, at the beginning of next week. An Orange alert has also been issued for the city as there may be heavy rainfall accompanied by a strong breeze.

Thunderstorms hit Kolkata and several South Bengal districts on Saturday evening after almost 60 days. In Kharagpur, one biker died after a hoarding fell on him during the storm.

City dwellers experienced a strong breeze measuring around 65 kmph. A boat carrying goods along the Raimangal River capsized in Gosaba but no casualty has been reported. Train services in the Sealdah South section were affected as trees fell on the overhead wires between Jadavpur and Dhakuria. Train services were affected in Howrah-Burdwan mainline as well.

"The city will receive heavy rainfall along with wind measuring around 50-60 kmph. Most of the South Bengal districts will also receive thundershowers at the beginning of next week. A favourable atmosphere has been created for rainfall. Several North Bengal districts will also receive rainfall in the next few days. A low-pressure trough will be formed next week," a weather official said.

Several parts of South Bengal districts received scattered rainfall accompanied by a strong breeze in the evening. Some places in South Bengal witnessed hailstorms as well. The highest temperature in Kolkata dropped to 36 degree Celsius on Saturday and it will drop further in the next 48 hours.

A devastating storm cut a swath through the entire area of Balurghat and Gangarampur subdivisions of South Dinajpur on Friday night. No casualty was reported.

The storm hit several parts of North Bengal, including Balurghat, Tapan, Hili and Kumarganj blocks of Balurghat subdivision and Banshihari, Gangarampur, Harirampur and Kushmandi blocks of Gangarampur subdivision on Friday evening affecting power supply. As many as 25 houses were damaged and around 85 electric poles were damaged in Balurghat and Gangarampur during Friday's storm. Meanwhile, Northwest and central India experienced their hottest April in 122 years with average maximum temperatures reaching 35.9 and 37.78 degrees Celsius respectively, the weather office said on Saturday. Delhi continued to reel under a heatwave on Saturday as the maximum temperature here settled at 43.5 degrees Celsius, five notches above the season's average, the India Meteorological Department said. For the plains, a heatwave is declared when the maximum temperature is over 40 degrees Celsius, and at least 4.5 notches above normal.