A day after heavy overnight rain left Kolkata waterlogged ahead of the Durga Puja celebrations, life in the city remains disrupted. At least 10 people have died in rain-related incidents, and the City of Joy is bracing for more showers in the coming days. A relentless downpour between midnight on Monday and early Tuesday morning dumped 252 mm of rainfall—nearly 20% of Kolkata’s annual average of 1,345.5 mm—in just six to seven hours. The deluge left large parts of the city submerged and disrupted rail, road, and air connectivity.
While the system responsible for Tuesday’s heavy rain—a low-pressure area—is now gradually becoming “less marked” another system is forming in the Bay of Bengal and heading westwards. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), an upper air cyclonic circulation has developed over the coastal areas of central Myanmar and the adjoining east-central Bay of Bengal.
Forecasts indicate that the new system is likely to move towards Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, meaning it may not directly impact West Bengal. However, light rain in parts of south Bengal is possible. Durga Puja celebrations will begin on September 28 and conclude on October 2. The auspicious Hindu festival is observed with great fervour across the country, especially in West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, Tripura, Bihar, and Jharkhand.
Due to the recent heavy rains, the West Bengal Education Department announced on Tuesday that the month-long Durga Puja holidays in government-run and aided schools, colleges, and other educational institutions will begin on Wednesday, two days ahead of schedule.
Course of next system
The developing weather system is likely to move westwards gradually.
Under its influence, a low-pressure area is expected to form over the north and adjoining central Bay of Bengal on September 25 (Thursday). It is likely to move nearly westwards and intensify into a depression over the northwest and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal on September 26, and is expected to cross the South Odisha–North Andhra Pradesh coasts around September 27.
Due to this, squally wind speeds reaching 40–50 kmph, gusting to 60 kmph, along with rough to very rough sea conditions, are expected to prevail over the North and Central Bay of Bengal and along and off the coasts of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, Bangladesh, and Myanmar on September 25. The IMD added: “It would gradually increase, becoming squally winds reaching 45–55 kmph, gusting to 65 kmph, with rough to very rough sea conditions over the North and Central Bay of Bengal and along and off Andhra Pradesh–Odisha–West Bengal coasts during September 26 and 27.”
Fishermen are advised not to venture into the North and Central Bay of Bengal and along and off the coasts of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, Bangladesh, and Myanmar between September 25 and 27.
