Kolkata: Rains continue to haunt city dwellers ahead of Puja with the weather office predicting some more rainfall in the next 24 hours.
The regional meteorological department in the city has already predicted rainfall during Puja days. It may dampen the spirit of the pandal hoppers. The MeT office said that there may be some scattered rainfall in the city and also in various South Bengal districts on the five days of Puja. Though, it may not rain heavily but people may face inconveniences. The city dwellers may also witness rain on the day of Mahalaya, weather office further said.
The prediction of rainfall has left the Puja organizers anxious over the weather condition in the state. Scattered rainfall in the past couple of days has already hit the artisans who are toiling hard to construct Puja pandals of various clubs. Meanwhile, the weather office on Thursday predicted some more rainfall in all the South Bengal districts in the next 24 hours. The situation may improve after Mahalaya.
"There may be moderate to heavy shower in the coastal districts of East Midnapore and South 24-Parganas while the Western districts such as Jhargram, West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia may also receive a heavy rainfall accompanied with lightning and thunder storm on Friday," a weather official said.
The city on Thursday received moderate rainfall and some stretches remained under water due to incessant rain. The drainage department officials of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation took various steps to ensure that the accumulated water is discharged in minimum possible time.
Most of the parts in the city remained cloudy from the morning. It received intermittent rainfall throughout the day resulting in the slow traffic movement in some parts.
Various South Bengal districts, including North 24-Parganas, South 24-Parganas, Hooghly, Howrah and Nadia witnessed moderate to heavy showers along with a strong breeze. Some place however saw thunder shower accompanied with light rain.
There is also a prediction of moderate rainfall in the North Bengal districts in the next 24 hours. Heavy rains lashed several parts of North Bengal since the past few days affecting the normal life. The weather office attributed the cause of rainfall to the low pressure trough created over Bay of Bengal. The intensity of the rainfall will be reduced as the low pressure loses strength. The coastal districts have been alerted to be cautious so that no untoward incidents take place.