Large parts of Kolkata waterlogged, adverse weather to continue

June 18, 2021 02:17 am | Updated 04:31 am IST - Kolkata

Police personnel wading through waterlogged road to enter the Armed Police Headquarters in Kolkata on Thursday.

Police personnel wading through waterlogged road to enter the Armed Police Headquarters in Kolkata on Thursday.

Large parts of Kolkata and adjoining suburbs remained waterlogged on Thursday and with the forecast of enhance rainfall and thunderstorm activity for next two days the people of metropolis are likely to continue braving adverse weather conditions.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that the city had witnessed large amount of rainfall in the past 24 hours. She expressed concern over the deaths due to lightning strike and urged people not to venture out of their homes. The Regional Meteorological Centre ( RMC) in Kolkata said that Kolkata recorded 144 mm rainfall in 24 hours till 8.30 am on Thursday. The city also recorded high rainfall in the day and several areas of the city remained in knee deep water.

“Due to presence of Cyclonic circulation over Gangetic West Bengal and adjoining area and strong moisture incursion from Bay of Bengal, widespread rain/thunderstorm accompanied with lightning and heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely to continue over the districts of West Bengal during 17-19 June 2021,” a special bulletin issued the RMC in Kolkata said. The bulletin advised fishermen not to venture into the deep-sea during till June 18.

Sanjib Bandyopadhyay, Deputy Director General, Meteorology ( RMC), Kolkata said the monsoon have arrived in the south Bengal on June 11 and since then the State has witnessed regular rainfall. “ The possible impact can be water logging in low lying areas and the water in the rivers may rise… Since there is thunderstorm activity, we would suggest that farmers working in the fields to stay indoors inside pucca houses,” Mr Bandyopadhyay said.

Along with Hooghly, water in the rivers of south Bengal such as south Ajoy, Darakeswar, Brahmani, Shilabati, Subarnarekha and Kangsabati have swelled. The Chief Minister urged the administration to remain alert in case of flood in districts of Howrah, Hooghly and Paschim Medinipur.

State’s Minister Firhad Hakim, who is chairman Board of Administrators, Kolkata Municipal Corporations said efforts were being to pump out water from the inundated areas into the river Hooghly once the water level in the river subsides. A few weeks ago, the State had braced cyclone Yaas resulting in flooding in low lying areas of South 24 Parganas and Purba Medinipur.

Now only low-lying areas of north Kolkata and Behala but several areas of south Kolkata like Ballygunge Circular Road, Loudon Street, Southern Avenue and places and Tollygunge were under water because of the enhanced rainfall activity. People had to wade through knee deep water to go from one point to other. The State is under restrictions to contain COVID-19 pandemic and public transport remains suspended.

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