Kolkata: Kolkata is battered by heavy overnight rains, causing inconvenience to residents of the city. Heavy showers lashed the City of Joy ahead of the Durga Puja festivities. At least nine people lost their lives in rain-related incidents.
The incessant rainfall hampered the preparations for the festival as several videos of submerged pandals surfaced online. Authorities have urged resident to exercise caution and not to venture out unnecessarily. Durga Puja is a five-day festival, also known as Durgotsava is starting from September 28.
Flights Cancelled:
At 30 flights were cancelled from Kolkata amid heavy showers. Several flights were also reportedly delayed. At Kolkata's Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, multiple flights were grounded due to adverse weather conditions, with authorities citing incessant rains and restricted visibility as key safety concerns, reported PTI.
"At least 30 flights have been cancelled so far, and 31 others have been delayed," an official of Kolkata Airport said.
Flood-Like Situation In Kolkata:
Torrential overnight rain left Kolkata paralysed on Tuesday. At least seven people lost their lives due to electrocution. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee termed the overnight showers as "unprecedented", lashing out at poor dredging of the Farakka barrage and lapses by private power utility CESC, while appealing to people to stay indoors for their own safety.
"I have never seen rain like this. I feel so bad for the people who have lost their lives in the cloudburst. I heard 7-8 people have died due to electrocution by open or unattended wires. It is so unfortunate. Their families must all be given jobs by the CESC. I am saying this clearly. We will also do whatever is possible to help," Banerjee told a Bengali news channel.
Heavy rains brought Kolkata to its knees on Tuesday as waterlogging and long traffic jams were reported in several areas of the city. Traffic movement was severely affected at key intersections such as Park Circus, Gariahat, Behala and College Street, while long snarls were reported on EM Bypass, AJC Bose Road and Central Avenue. Several smaller lanes in south and central Kolkata were completely cut off, reported PTI.
Train and Metro Railway services were badly hit. 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 suspension of services on this stretch.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted more showers in the city. As per the IMD, a low-pressure area over the northeast Bay of Bengal was likely to bring more heavy rain in several south Bengal districts.
