Kolkata and neighbouring areas experienced intermittent rain following a a deep depression in the Bay of Bengal, which was likely to cross the West Bengal coast either by Saturday evening or on Sunday morning.
The depression is equivalent to tropical storm in intensity and comprises large low-pressure centres and numerous thundershowers.
In a low-pressure centre, there is cloud formation and precipitation.
"The depression in the northwest bay was lying 150 km south west near the sea resort of Digha in East Midnapore district and was likely to cross the state's coast on Saturdayevening or on Sunday morning," the Regional Meteorological Centre director G C Debnath said.
As a result, heavy to very heavy rainfall was likely in gangetic West Bengal, Orissa coast and Jharkhand in the next 48 hours, Debnath said.
The fishermen have been asked not to venture into the sea, he said.
Meanwhile, several villages at Gosaba, Basanti and Patharpratima in South 24 Parganas have been flooded due to breached embankments as a result of high tide following widespread rains.
Meanwhile, state's Finance minister Asim Dasgupta said six districts--North and South 24 Parganas, East and West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia--have been alerted.
He said the irrigation department has been asked to repair breached embankments immediately.
"We have also asked for 30,000 pieces of tarpaulin for the six districts," he said.
Several villages at Gosaba, Basanti and Patharpratima in South 24 Parganas have been flooded due to breached embankments as a result of high tide and torrential rain.
