Sudden Deluge Disrupts Daily Life
Kolkata woke up to chaos on Tuesday morning as relentless rainfall flooded homes, disrupted power supply, and forced last-minute school closures across the city. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an Orange Alert for the region, forecasting continued heavy rainfall and thunderstorms throughout the day.
Rainfall Records Broken Overnight
In just 24 hours, the city recorded nearly 250 mm of rain, with most of the downpour occurring in the early hours of Tuesday. The Regional Meteorological Centre in Kolkata confirmed that 247.4 mm of rainfall had been recorded between 8:30 AM on Monday and Tuesday morning.
Meanwhile, the IMD bulletin highlighted “heavy to very heavy rainfall”—between 7 cm to 20 cm—particularly in parts of the South 24 Parganas district. Garia Kamdahari saw the highest rainfall at 332 mm, followed by Jodhpur Park (285 mm), Kalighat (280 mm), and Ballygunge (264 mm). Even the relatively drier north Kolkata locality of Thantania reported 195 mm of rainfall.
Low-Pressure Systems to Blame
A low-pressure area over the northeast Bay of Bengal is the main culprit behind the extreme weather. It is expected to move northwestward, bringing widespread light to moderate rainfall with isolated very heavy showers over several districts, including:
- Purba Medinipur
- Paschim Medinipur
- South 24 Parganas
- Jhargram
- Bankura
The IMD has also warned of another developing low-pressure system over the east-central Bay of Bengal, likely to take shape around September 25, potentially extending the rainfall event.
Air Travel Delayed, Airlines Issue Alerts
As the downpour continued, air travel was significantly affected, though no official flight cancellations were reported on Tuesday morning. IndiGo and SpiceJet were among the first to issue travel advisories, warning of possible delays and urging passengers to check flight statuses and leave early due to slower traffic en route to the airport.
Passengers reported long wait times and confusion at Kolkata Airport, with one X (formerly Twitter) post highlighting how an IndiGo pilot couldn’t reach the airport in time due to waterlogging.
“With heavy rainfall and thunderstorms expected, delays are likely. Please plan accordingly,” read a statement from IndiGo.
‘Kolkata is Drowning’ – Residents Share Firsthand Accounts
Scenes from across the city painted a grim picture—submerged roads, floating vehicles, and ankle-to-knee-deep water inside homes. Social media exploded with visuals shared via WhatsApp, Instagram, and X, capturing the severity of the flooding.
The southern and eastern parts of Kolkata were hit hardest, with municipal authorities confirming multiple areas with record-breaking precipitation. One resident from Garia, in a Reddit post, remarked:
“This is worse than Amphan. I’ve got shin-deep water inside my house. Never seen this kind of flooding before—not even in 2020.”
Another user echoed the sentiment:
“We live in a single-storey home. This is the first time water has entered the house. It’s shocking and dangerous.”
A third summed it up simply:
“Waterlogging is everywhere in Kolkata right now.”
Festivities in Jeopardy
The unseasonal and intense rainfall couldn’t have come at a worse time, coinciding with the Durga Puja celebrations—a period of major social and cultural activity in the city. Several pandals, processions, and public gatherings were either delayed or cancelled, dampening the festive spirit.
