Heavy rains claims two lives in Kolkata, North 24 Parganas

Heavy rains accompanied by squally winds left two persons dead, hit flight and train movements, and disrupted normal life in Kolkata and its surrounding districts on Monday. The city bore the brunt of the deluge, with a large number of its thoroughfares waterlogged and unending traffic snarls following the formation of a very deep depression over the Gangetic West Bengal and adjoining north Bay of Bengal.

A road flooded with rain waters in Kolkata on Monday. Photo/PTI

One aged person was electrocuted when he accidentally touched a lamp post while wading through a waterlogged road in Maminpur area of South Kolkata, while a youth perished after a tree got uprooted and fell on him in Syamnagar of North 24 Parganas district. The rains, which began on Sunday night, continued on Monday, hampering functioning of offices and business establishments on the first working day of the week.

The uprooted trees in many areas of northern and southern Kolkata blocked roads, stalling traffic movement. According to railway officials, the suburban and long distance train services of both Eastern and South Eastern Railways were affected slightly in the morning due to the rains. Services were disrupted at city's Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport as arrival of five odd flights and departure of about eight flights was cancelled due the inclement weather.

Landing of 47 in-bound flights and departure of about 35 flights was rescheduled and many flights were delayed, an official said. Ferry services on river Hooghly had to be stopped due to the rise in the water level following the rains. "A deep depression has formed over Gangetic West Bengal and adjoining north Bay of Bengal," an official of the Regional Meteorological Centre here said.

The local weather office forecast more rains in the next 48 hours. "Under the influence of deep depression over Gangetic West Bengal, heavy to very heavy (7-20cm) rainfall at a few places with isolated extremely heavy (over 20cm) fall is likely over Gangetic West Bengal during next 48 hours," it said. Squally winds speed reaching 45-55 kmph and gusting to 65 kmph would prevail along and off the coast, the centre said, adding fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea during the same period.