Thursday, 19 September 2024
Thursday, 19 September 2024
Moderate to heavy rainfall pounded South Bengal, including Calcutta, on Sunday, under the influence of a deep depression that has swept through the region. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that the city and its surrounding areas have been lashed by strong winds and relentless rain since September 13, as the depression over the Bay of Bengal intensified.
A deep depression, often a precursor to a cyclonic storm, brought widespread disruption to life in South Bengal, with the Met office issuing a heavy rain alert for districts like Bankura, West Midnapore, Jhargram, Purulia, West Burdwan, and Birbhum. According to meteorologists, the weather system is likely to move westwards across Jharkhand and North Chhattisgarh, gradually weakening into a depression over the next 24 hours.
Calcutta bore the brunt of the storm, recording over 62 mm of rainfall between 6:30 a.m. on September 14 and 8:30 a.m. on September 15. With more heavy rain expected in the next 12 hours, residents are bracing for further disrupt.
The city’s arterial roads—EM Bypass, Central Avenue, Beleghata Road, and Shakespeare Sarani—experienced significant waterlogging, causing traffic snarls. Commuters faced delays as the heavy rain slowed down the pace of life in the metropolis.
The coastal belts of South 24-Parganas faced the harshest conditions, with several homes damaged and fields submerged. Villages in Namkhana and Patharpratima have been particularly hard hit, and residents are grappling with the twin challenges of flooding and the prospect of more rain on the way.
As the system moves westwards, the Met office has cautioned Jharkhand and North Chhattisgarh to brace for heavy downpours. Calcutta is expected to face more rain, with possible improvements only after the deep depression weakens into a milder system.
