Kolkata: Incessant heavy rain caused by a low pressure area over Gangetic Bengal coupled with monsoon, lashed several parts of South Bengal, including Kolkata, since early Tuesday disrupting normal life. Heavy rainfall may occur in some western parts of the state in the next 24 hours.
Making the situation worse, the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) began releasing water from its Panchet and Maithan reservoirs on Monday night, discharging huge volumes of water due to the heavy rainfall. An alert has been issued for residents living near riverside areas in the West Burdwan district as a precaution.
The Regional Meteorological Centre in Alipore predicted that thunderstorms with gusty winds may continue in several parts of South Bengal till Wednesday. Heavy rainfall is expected to continue in the western districts of Purulia and Jhargram, while light to moderate rain is likely in several parts of southern West Bengal over the next 48 hours. The MeT has forecast heavy rainfall in five South Bengal districts — Kolkata, North 24-Parganas, South 24-Parganas, East Midnapore, Howrah etc. The situation will gradually improve from Thursday. Similarly, an alert for heavy to moderate rains has been sounded for Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar districts of North Bengal. The weather office has urged people to stay in a safe place during thunderstorms and heavy rainfall.
Due to overnight rains, several parts of the city were waterlogged including Central Avenue, Muktarambabu Street, College Street, BB Ganguly Street, Kasba, Tollygunge, Garia, Nayabad, Jadavpur, Picnic Garden, Jodhpur Park, Behala, Shyambazar, Ultadanga, Dhakuria, Ballygunge and parts of EM Bypass and other areas. Many low-lying areas of Salt Lake, and Howrah were waterlogged, severely disrupting daily life in the city and its suburbs.
Fishermen were advised not to venture into the sea due to squally weather, triggered by the low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal.
The weather office had already stated that surface wind speeds would reach 35-45 kmph, gusting up to 55 kmph, along and off the Bengal-Odisha coast and the north Bay of Bengal till Tuesday.