Kolkata, Aug. 17 -- Heavy and incessant rain lashed Kolkata on Monday, severely disrupting normal life as several parts of the city were waterlogged and traffic slowed to a crawl. The downpour followed the intensification of a low-pressure system over the Northwest Bay of Bengal into a depression, which is moving north westwards towards Jharkhand and Bihar.

Belgachia recorded the highest rainfall in the city at 104 mm, followed by Palmer Bazar (100 mm), Pagladanga (93 mm), Maniktala (91 mm), Topsia (85 mm), Thanthania (80 mm), Ballygunge (78 mm), Dattabagan (62 mm) and Joka (50 mm). Waterlogging was reported from Thanthania, College Street, Amherst Street, Central Avenue, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Gariahat, parts of Behala, Salt Lake, Dumdum and other pockets. Underpasses, including Patipukur, were also highly affected.

At Thanthania, water reached close to knee height in the morning. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) directed all pumping stations across its 16 boroughs to remain operational. Sewerage and Drainage DG Shantanu Ghosh coordinated with borough executive engineers, while civic teams continued pumping out accumulated water. KMC said permanent drainage work was already underway at Thanthania and temporary water accumulation could occur during the work.

The rain also disrupted life beyond Kolkata. In East Midnapore, water entered several schools and authorities declared all schools closed on Monday and Tuesday. Nandigram, Chandipur, Moyna, Bhagwanpur and Patashpur reported waterlogging, while rising water levels in the Keleghai river raised concerns over embankments. Haldia has set up 27 relief camps.

For Tuesday, heavy rain is expected to continue, though its intensity may gradually decline. Purulia, Bankura and West Burdwan remain under red alert for extremely heavy rain exceeding 200 mm, while other South Bengal districts, including

Kolkata, remain under orange alert. West Midnapore, Birbhum and Jhargram may also receive heavy rain.

North Bengal districts, including Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar, are also likely to receive heavy rain and thunderstorms over the coming days.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.