Weakened cyclone ‘Montha’ to bring heavy rain in parts of Bengal

The fury of Cyclone Montha may have subsided, but its lingering remnants continue to drench eastern India.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the weather system, now weakened into a well-marked low-pressure area over south Chhattisgarh, is expected to drift northwards towards east Madhya Pradesh, shedding more of its strength — but not before unleashing torrents across West Bengal.

From the misty hills of Darjeeling and Kalimpong to the lush tea gardens of Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, and Cooch Behar, the skies are set to open up, bringing heavy to very heavy rainfall of 7–20 cm through Friday.

The downpour is forecast to continue into Saturday in parts of north Bengal, particularly Alipurduar and Cooch Behar, where swollen rivers and waterlogged fields already spell concern.

The IMD has cautioned of possible landslides in the hill districts of Darjeeling and Kalimpong as incessant rain loosens the soil, threatening to disrupt connectivity and endanger lives.

In the south, the districts of Birbhum, Murshidabad, Paschim Bardhaman, and Purulia too are likely to see heavy rain till Friday, while other parts of south Bengal may experience light to moderate showers.

Even in its weakened form, Montha continues to remind Bengal of nature’s quiet persistence — a storm no longer roaring, yet still writing its story in sheets of rain.

With PTI inputs