Kolkata: Heavy overnight rain wreaked havoc in Kolkata on Tuesday, killing at least four people due to electrocution and paralysing daily life as floodwaters submerged large parts of the city.
Those who died were identified as Firoz Ali Khan (50) of Beniapukur, Pranatosh Kundu (62) of Netaji Nagar, and Mumtaz Bibi (70) of Ekbalpur, along with an unidentified person in Gariahat. “So far, we have received information of four deaths due to electrocution in different places in the city,” Kolkata Mayor and state Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim said.
Hakim noted that most neighbourhoods were waterlogged despite round-the-clock efforts by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation to drain out floodwaters. He added that canals and rivers were already overflowing and the situation might only improve after the evening tide subsides.
Traffic across the city came to a standstill as vehicles remained stranded for hours in waist-deep water at major intersections including Park Circus, Gariahat, Behala, and College Street. Long jams were reported on EM Bypass, AJC Bose Road, and Central Avenue. Many smaller lanes in south and central Kolkata were cut off.
Public transport was badly hit, with buses breaking down mid-route and taxis either staying off the roads or charging exorbitant fares. Several schools declared a holiday, while office-goers endured severe delays due to traffic snarls and lack of transport.
Metro Railway services were suspended between Shahid Khudiram and Maidan stations after water seeped into the mid-section of the Blue Line, particularly near Mahanayak Uttam Kumar and Rabindra Sarobar. Truncated services continued between Dakshineswar and Maidan. Eastern Railway also suspended services in the Sealdah south section due to waterlogged tracks, while skeletal services were maintained in other stretches. Circular Railway operations were halted after flooding at Chitpur yard.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the downpour was caused by a low-pressure area over the northeast Bay of Bengal. The southern and eastern parts of the city bore the brunt, with Garia Kamdahari recording 332 mm of rainfall in a few hours, followed by Jodhpur Park (285 mm), Kalighat (280 mm), Topsia (275 mm), and Ballygunge (264 mm). North Kolkata’s Thantania received 195 mm.
The IMD warned of continued heavy rainfall in Purba and Paschim Medinipur, South 24 Parganas, Jhargram, and Bankura till Wednesday. It also forecast the formation of another low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal around September 25, raising the possibility of further rain.
