Kolkata records heavy rain on Vijaya Dashami, may affect Durga idols’ immersion

Kolkata experienced heavy showers on Thursday afternoon, with further rainfall forecast later in the day, raising concerns for Durga Puja committees preparing for idol immersions in the Hooghly River on Vijaya Dashami, the festival’s concluding day.

The city woke to cloudy skies in the morning, which by noon turned dark as light rain escalated into torrential downpours across Kolkata and its suburbs. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms is expected to continue over Kolkata and adjoining districts in the coming hours, with gusty winds of 30–40 kmph.

The IMD has issued an orange warning for thunderstorms in parts of Howrah, North 24-Parganas, and South 24 Parganas districts, indicating potential disruptions to outdoor activities, including pandal hopping and public rituals.

The rainfall is being driven by a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal, which is moving northwest at 17 kmph and intensifying further. As of Thursday, the depression was located 190 km south-southeast of Gopalpur (Odisha), 230 km south of Puri, 190 km east-southeast of Kalingapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), 250 km east of Visakhapatnam, and 310 km south-southwest of Paradip. The system is expected to make landfall as a deep depression between Gopalpur and Paradip on the Odisha-Andhra coast by Thursday night.

Heavy rainfall is also forecast across north Bengal through Sunday, affecting districts including Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur, and Malda. An orange alert for very heavy rain has been issued for Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri, and Alipurduar for Saturday.

Authorities have advised residents and festivalgoers to exercise caution, avoid waterlogged areas, and stay updated with weather advisories, as the ongoing depression continues to affect the state.

With IANS inputs