Puja buzz meets rain fury: Kolkata submerged after record showers

Kolkata woke up to a deluge on Tuesday, 23 September, after an unprecedented spell of overnight rain threw life out of gear across the city and its adjoining areas.

According to local media report, at least seven people have died in Kolkata and its surrounding areas following the overnight downpour, which caused severe flooding and multiple electrocution incidents. The incessant rain has also disrupted electricity and internet services across large parts of the city and its suburbs.

Knee-deep water inundated large stretches of roads, disrupting traffic and flooding homes, while the city braced for yet another round of heavy showers in the coming days — just weeks ahead of Durga Puja, Bengal’s biggest festival.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) attributed the downpour to a low-pressure system over the northeast Bay of Bengal, which is expected to intensify and bring further rainfall across several districts of south Bengal.

Record rainfall in parts of Kolkata

According to the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), the southern and eastern neighbourhoods bore the brunt of the torrential rain. Garia Kamdahari alone recorded an astonishing 332 mm of rain within just a few hours. Jodhpur Park followed closely with 285 mm, while Kalighat registered 280 mm. Topsia received 275 mm, Ballygunge 264 mm, and Thantania in north Kolkata 195 mm.

Many residential complexes and houses reported waterlogging, with residents forced to bail out water through the night. Cars were left stranded on submerged roads, while public transport services slowed to a crawl. Several commuters were left stranded as buses, taxis, and app cabs avoided waterlogged routes.

IMD warning of more rain

The IMD warned that the current low-pressure system may persist, bringing widespread light to moderate showers with isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall in districts such as Purba and Paschim Medinipur, South 24-Parganas, Jhargram, and Bankura until Wednesday.

Adding to the concern, meteorologists said another fresh low-pressure area is likely to form around September 25 over the east-central and adjoining north Bay of Bengal, threatening an extended spell of rainfall across the state.

Life disrupted across the city

The inundation left a visible impact on daily life. Several schools delayed opening, while office-goers waded through flooded streets in parts of Tollygunge, Kasba, Behala, and EM Bypass. Markets saw sparse crowds in the morning as traders struggled to transport goods through waterlogged lanes.

For many, the scenes evoked memories of past flooding incidents in the city. Residents pointed out that despite repeated assurances of improved drainage, the civic system failed once again under the sheer volume of rain.

Looking ahead

Authorities are on high alert, with disaster management teams deployed in low-lying areas. Pumping stations across the city are working round the clock to clear accumulated water, though officials admitted that the extraordinary rainfall overwhelmed the system.

With more showers forecast, Kolkata and its neighbouring districts remain on edge, preparing for what could be an extended wet spell that tests both the city’s infrastructure and its resilience.

With PTI inputs