KOLKATA: Incessant heavy rain since early Tuesday, combined with continuous water release from DVC reservoirs, has lashed several districts in southern West Bengal, including Kolkata. Many low-lying areas in parts of Kolkata, Salt Lake, and Howrah were waterlogged, severely disrupting daily life in the city and its suburbs. The downpour was triggered by a low-pressure area over Gangetic West Bengal.
In the past 24 hours, Alipore recorded 81.6 millimetres of rain, Dum Dum 99.3 millimetres, and Salt Lake 88.3 millimetres. Several locations in Kolkata, including Lalbazar, Fierce Lane, BB Ganguly Street, Central Avenue, and the North Port Police Station area, were submerged, making it extremely difficult for commuters to reach their workplaces on Tuesday morning.
The Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) began releasing water from its Panchet and Maithan reservoirs on Monday night, discharging a total of 40,000 cusecs 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 India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast thunderstorms with gusty winds across the region until Wednesday morning. 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 coming days.