Six Hours Of Torrential Rain Floods Kolkata, Seven Dead As City Struggles To Recover Ahead Of Durga Puja

Kolkata was left paralysed on Tuesday (23 September) after an unprecedented overnight deluge submerged key neighbourhoods, disrupted transport, and claimed seven lives from electrocution.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that the city received 247.4 mm of rain between 8.30 am on (20 September) and 8.30 am on Sunday (21 September), exceeding the total rainfall of the preceding 22 days, which stood at 178.6 mm.

The city has thus seen more rain in a single night than in three weeks of September.

The heavy downpour, triggered by a low-pressure system over the northeast Bay of Bengal, inundated large parts of Kolkata, Howrah, and Hooghly. The IMD has warned that the system is likely to persist for another 24 hours, raising fears of fresh flooding.

According to the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, some of the worst-hit areas included Ballygunge (295 mm), Gariahat (262 mm), Jadavpur (258 mm), Alipore (240 mm) and Mukundapur (280 mm).

Data reveals that the city received an extraordinary 2,663 per cent more rainfall than its long-term daily average. In comparison, adjoining Howrah logged 1,006 per cent above normal, and North 24 Parganas 857 per cent.

Most of the downpour occurred between midnight and 6 am, leaving residents to wake up to waterlogged streets, flooded homes, and widespread power outages. Rain-related incidents, including electrocution, led to seven deaths.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim have urged citizens to remain indoors. Hakim said it could take at least 12 hours for the city to return to normal, provided there was no fresh spell of rain.

The crisis has unfolded just days before Durga Puja festivities, adding to public anxiety.

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