Kolkata Crippled by Unprecedented Deluge; Two Confirmed Dead as Life Comes to a Halt

An overnight downpour of extraordinary intensity has brought Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal, to a standstill, leaving a trail of destruction and claiming at least two lives. The relentless rain, which began late Monday night and continued into Tuesday morning, has resulted in widespread flooding, paralyzed transportation networks, and disrupted daily life for millions of residents.

According to reports from the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), the southern and eastern parts of the city were the hardest hit. Areas like Garia Kamdahari recorded an astonishing 332 mm of rainfall in just a few hours, while Jodhpur Park, Kalighat, and Topsia also registered extremely high precipitation levels. Ths unprecedented volume of water quickly overwhelmed the city’s drainage system, turning major arterial roads into virtual rivers and submerging countless residential complexes and homes.

The human cost of the deluge is already tragic. Reports confirm that at least two people have died due to electrocution in separate incidents on the flooded streets. The deaths serve as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by submerged live wires during such heavy rains, prompting authorities and the local power company to take emergency measures.

The city’s vital transportation arteries have been severely impacted. Metro and suburban train services were thrown into chaos as tracks became waterlogged. On the Metro’s Blue Line, services were suspended between Shahid Khudiram and Maidan stations for public safety. Eastern Railway also reported major disruptions, with services on the Sealdah south section and Circular Railway lines completely suspended. The flooding of railway yards at Howrah and Sealdah has led to the cancellation and short-termination of numerous long-distance and suburban trains, causing immense inconvenience for commuters.

Road traffic, already a daily challenge in Kolkata, was completely paralyzed. Commuters were left stranded as public transport came to a grinding halt and private vehicles broke down on waterlogged streets. Many offices declared “work from home” for their employees, and schools announced last-minute closures, underscoring the severity of the situation.

The timing of this weather event could not be worse, as it has severely impacted preparations for the city’s biggest festival, Durga Puja. Numerous marquees (pandals) in low-lying areas across south and central Kolkata have been submerged, forcing organizers to frantically work on protecting the structures and idols from further damage.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has attributed the downpour to a low-pressure area that has formed over the northeast Bay of Bengal. The weather office has issued a warning of more heavy to very heavy rainfall for several districts of South Bengal in the coming days as the system is expected to move northwestwards. Residents are bracing for a prolonged period of challenging weather conditions, with the possibility of another low-pressure area forming around September 25.

As civic authorities and emergency services work round the clock to clear the water and restore normalcy, the city remains on high alert. The extreme weather event serves as a critical test of Kolkata’s urban infrastructure and a sobering reminder of the growing impact of climate-related events.