Kolkata: Heavy rains lashed Kolkata and the surrounding areas on Monday night, throwing normal life out of gear. At least five people have died in rain-related incidents in deifferent areas of Kolkata and its suburbs so far, reported NDTV. Flood-like situation is reported in several areas. Train and Metro Railway services were also disrupted in the city. Heavy rains battered the city days ahead of Durga Puja.
According to the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), the Garia Kamdahari area of the city recorded 332 mm of rain in just a few hours, followed by Jodhpur Park at 285 mm. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted more showers in Kolkata due to a low-pressure area over the northeast Bay of Bengal.
Several visuals of the waterlogged streets and residential complexes in the city surfaced online. This comes days before the annual Durga puja festivities in the Bengal capital.
Waterlogging was also 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, reported PTI.
Metro services have been suspended between Shahid Khudiram and Maidan stations since morning hours. A Metro Railway Kolkata spokesperson said that the services were suspended in order to ensure passengers' safety.
"Truncated services are being run between Dakshineswar and Maidan stations," he said as quoted by the news agency.
Railway services were also affected due to heavy showers. Due to waterlogging of tracks, train movement in the Sealdah south section has been suspended, while skeleton services are being run in the Sealdah north and main sections, an Eastern Railway official said.
Train services have alos been partially affected to and from Howrah and Kolkata terminal stations of Eastern Railway as tracks got waterlogged owing to heavy downpour, he said. Owing to the waterlogging at Chitpur yard, train movement on the Circular Railway line has also been suspended.
Several schools in the city have declared a holiday in the wake of heavy downpour.
As per the IMD, heavy rainfall is also expected in Purba Medinipur and Paschim Medinipur, South 24 Parganas, Jhargram, and Bankura districts of South Bengal till September 24.
