Rain lashes Kolkata

Kolkata: Rain lashed Kolkata and other districts of southern Bengal for the third consecutive day on Sunday, giving a harrowing time to clay artisans who are making idols for the upcoming Durga Puja.

A MeT spokesperson said thunderstorms accompanied by lightning struck different parts of South 24-Parganas, Kolkata, North 24-Parganas, Birbhum, Purba Medinipur, Nadia, Murshidabad, Hooghly, Howrah districts since Sunday morning and similar conditions will prevail for the next one or two days.

Kolkata recorded 39.8 mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours, causing waterlogging in parts of the city. Rain dampened Puja shopping spirit at traditional shopping hubs such as Shyambazar and Gariahat saw fewer footfalls, as did various shopping malls. At Kumartuli and elsewhere, clay-modellers had a trying time in preventing the idols from turning soggy and used heaters to dry the

moist earth.