Heavy rain lashes Kolkata, IMD forecasts more downpour over next two days
Heavy rain lashed Kolkata and several other parts of West Bengal on Wednesday, disrupting normal life and inundating low-lying areas, even as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast more rainfall over the next two days.
The IMD said the intensity of rain over south Bengal is likely to decrease from Thursday as a low-pressure area over Gangetic West Bengal moves towards northeastern Madhya Pradesh.
Several districts received heavy rainfall, with low-lying areas of cities and towns witnessing waterlogging. In Kolkata, several roads and localities were inundated following the downpour.
The Alipore observatory recorded 127 mm of rainfall in the 24 hours till 8.30 am on Wednesday, according to the IMD.
Sriniketan in Birbhum recorded the highest rainfall in the state during the period at 263 mm. Heavy rain also led to waterlogging in parts of adjoining Santiniketan, home to Visva-Bharati.
The weather office forecast very heavy rainfall in Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar districts of north Bengal over the next two days. Hooghly, Purba Bardhaman, Paschim Bardhaman and Birbhum are likely to receive very heavy rain till Thursday.
Heavy rainfall is also expected in Darjeeling and Cooch Behar over the next two days, while Kolkata, North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Howrah, Murshidabad and Nadia are likely to receive heavy rain till Thursday.
Despite the heavy rainfall in Kolkata, neighbouring Salt Lake and Dum Dum airport recorded 27 mm and 19 mm respectively during the 24-hour period till Wednesday morning.
Other places that recorded significant rainfall included Asansol with 110 mm, Tilpara Barrage 80 mm, Bankura 60 mm, Kalimpong 70 mm and Darjeeling 37 mm.
The IMD said rainfall activity over south Bengal is expected to ease from Thursday as the low-pressure system moves away from the region.
