Kolkata rain havoc: 4 dead, city waterlogged; Metro services hit, airlines issue travel advisory | Weather updates
Heavy rainfall in Kolkata has triggered severe waterloggin in the city disrupting the durga puja festivities. Metro services on Blue line was also suspended.
Heavy rainfall has lashed Kolkata and the surrounding areas, with several places inundated in knee-deep water, and traffic congestion seen at places. The rain that began overnight continued, with the weather department predicting further downpour. 4 people lost their lives due to electrocution following heaving waterlogging. Metro services on the Blue Line were also hit, and two airlines issued travel advisories citing bad weather conditions.
Widespread waterlogging in Kolkata
The heavy rainfall has disrupted the daily life of people in Kolkata, with water entering houses and residential complexes. This comes as the city prepares for the grand festivities of Durga Puja. Widespread waterlogging was seen in both northern and southern parts of the city after North Kolkata recorded 200 mm of rainfall, while South Kolkata received 180 mm.
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4 people died due to electrocution
Amid the severe waterlogging in the city, four people died due to electrocution, PTI reported. Those who lost their lives were identified as Firoz Ali Khan (50) of Beniapukur, Pranatosh Kundu (62) of Netaji Nagar, and Mumtaz Bibi (70) of Ekbalpur, besides an unidentified person in Gariahat.
Blue line Metro services suspended
In the wake of heavy rainfall, significant waterlogging was reported in the mid-section of the Blue Line (Dakshineswar–Shahid Khudiram), particularly between Mahanayak Uttam Kumar and Rabindra Sarobar stations, prompting the immediate suspension of services on this stretch, news agency PTI reported. A spokesperson for Metro Railway Kolkata said the decision to halt operations between Shahid Khudiram and Maidan stations was taken in the interest of public safety, as ensuring secure travel remains the top priority.
"Truncated services are being run between Dakshineswar and Maidan stations," he said, adding that normal services are expected to be resumed soon. Water is now being pumped out, and officers and staff of Metro Railway have reached the spot to address the issue.
Also read: IMD warns of heavy rain in West Bengal for next 3 days, yellow alert for Kolkata
Durga Puja preparations affected
Durga puja preparations in the city have also been severely affected particularly in particularly in Howrah, where artisans are racing against time to complete clay idols. "We have received emergency instructions to run drainage pumps to clear the roads," a Kolkata Municipal Corporation official told HT.
Traffic snarls at several areas
Traffic movement was also severely affected across major roads, with vehicles stranded for hours in knee-deep water at key intersections such as Park Circus, Gariahat, Behala, and College Street.
Long traffic snarls were reported on EM Bypass, AJC Bose Road and Central Avenue, while several smaller lanes in south and central Kolkata were completely cut off due to waist-deep water.
IndiGo, SpiceJet issue travel advisory
Seeing the weather situation, airlines including IndiGo and SpiceJet also issued travel advisories citing ‘temporary blocks and diversions’ owing to heavy rainfall. “Some routes across Kolkata have been impacted by heavy rain, leading to temporary blocks or diversions,” the IndiGo advisory said. It recommended passengers to plan their journey and leave extra time.
SpiceJet also issued a similar advisory stating bad weather conditions in Kolkata, which may affect all departures/arrivals and their consequential flights.
Meanwhile, the Indian Meteorological Department predicted that heavy rainfall is likely to continue in Kolkata and surrounding regions till September 26, which has put many community Durga Puja organisers on alert.
