More Rain In 6 Hours Than Last 22 Days Combined: Why Kolkata Is Flooded

Unprecedented Rainfall Submerges Kolkata, Claiming Seven Lives

Seven fatalities have been reported and critical areas are under water following extraordinary rainfall in Kolkata

Kolkata experienced merely 178.6 mm of precipitation from September 1 through September 22, which was 16 percent below the seasonal norm of 213.7 mm. However, between 8:30 am yesterday and 8:30 am today, the City of Joy was deluged with 247.4 mm of rainfall, with the majority occurring during a few nighttime hours.

These statistics from the India Meteorological Department illustrate the magnitude of the rain disaster that has struck Kolkata just days before its annual Durga Puja celebrations. The city has endured more precipitation in several hours than it did throughout the previous 22 days of September. The deluge has resulted in extensive waterlogging, disrupting traffic, train operations, and Metro services.

Seven individuals have perished in incidents related to the rainfall, with electrocution being responsible for some fatalities. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim have urged residents to remain indoors. The Mayor indicated that restoring normalcy would require at least 12 hours, provided no additional rainfall occurs.

The Meteorological Explanation

The weather bureau attributes the heavy precipitation to a low-pressure system over the northeast Bay of Bengal affecting coastal regions of Gangetic West Bengal, including Kolkata, Hooghly, and Howrah. However, the city must prepare for additional rainfall as this low-pressure system is projected to remain stationary over the same area for the next 24 hours, according to the meteorological department's forecast.

Six-Hour Inundation

Most neighborhoods in Kolkata and surrounding suburbs began experiencing rainfall after midnight. Between 12 am and 6 am, the exceptional downpour flooded streets and residences, causing citizens to wake up to flood-like conditions.

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation maintains precipitation monitoring instruments in strategic locations. Among the areas most severely impacted by the rainfall are Ballygunge (295 mm), Gariahat (262 mm), Jadavpur (258 mm), Alipore (240 mm), and Mukundapur (280 mm), according to the civic authority's measurements.

Kolkata's Rainfall Exceeds Normal by 2663%

IMD data indicates that Kolkata received 2,663 percent more rainfall in the 24-hour period ending at 8:30 am compared to the long-term average. The neighboring Howrah recorded a distant second with 1,006 percent above its long-term average, while North 24 Parganas experienced 857 percent more precipitation than average. These figures highlight the extraordinary volume of rain that descended upon the city in a brief timeframe.