Heavy rain, high winds pose flood-like situation in Gangetic West Bengal

A depression over the Bay of Bengal caused heavy overnight rain in parts of Gangetic West Bengal, with the Met department forecasting more downpour, raising the possibility of a flood-like situation in the coastal areas.

The depression lay centred over coastal Odisha about 25 km west of Chandbali at 5.30 am today, the Met office said.

The system will move nearly northwards for some time and then north-northeastwards towards the West Bengal coast, and weaken gradually into a well-marked low-pressure area during the next 24 hours, it said.

Heavy to very heavy rain is forecast at isolated places over the districts of Gangetic West Bengal and Malda, North and South Dinajpur districts of Sub-Himalayan West Bengal till tomorrow morning.

The Met department also warned of squally winds with speeds reaching 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph along and off the West Bengal coast till this evening, which will likely reduce to 30-40 kmph gusting to 50 kmph till tomorrow morning.

Stating that sea conditions will be rough to very rough along and off the coast till evening and rough thereafter till the morning, the Met department advised fishermen not to venture into the sea.

The city recorded 53.7 mm rainfall in the last 24 hours till 8.30 am today.

The seaside resort town of Digha recorded 60 mm rain, while Diamond Harbour in coastal South 24 Parganas district recorded 50 mm precipitation during the same period, the Met office said.

Educational institutions in the city remained shut owing to continuous rain throughout the night, which left some arterial roads and low-lying areas waterlogged.

Office-goers, too, had a tough time with fewer public transport on the roads.