In Rain-Hit Kolkata, Life Far From Normalcy, Days Before Durga Puja

Kolkata: Severe Waterlogging Persists 24 Hours After Heavy Rainfall

Kolkata remains severely affected even a day after intense overnight precipitation left the city waterlogged ahead of the Durga Puja festivities. At least 10 fatalities have been reported in rain-related incidents, while the City of Joy prepares for additional rainfall.

Here are the main developments in this major situation:

Numerous areas in Kolkata continue to experience waterlogging despite no additional rainfall. Streets remained submerged in Gariahat, Joka, Sarsuna, Thanthania, and Amherst Street areas, as evidenced by footage from late yesterday.

Electrical service has yet to be restored in multiple locations where power was disconnected as a precautionary measure. Exposed electrical wires have been identified as the cause for more than half a dozen deaths across the city, placing the power distribution company CESC under significant scrutiny.

Meteorological forecasts predict additional rainfall in Kolkata and several districts in south Bengal in the upcoming days due to a low-pressure system over the northeast Bay of Bengal. Overcast conditions may continue, accompanied by precipitation, strong winds, and thunderstorms over the next 24 hours.

Yesterday's heavy downpour brought Kolkata to a complete standstill. The city had not experienced such intense precipitation within such a brief period in the past 39 years. All educational institutions were closed, and public transportation was severely limited. Most commercial establishments opted to remain closed during the deluge. Mayor Firhad Hakim advised residents to stay indoors.

The rainfall yesterday also caused damage to numerous puja pandals in the city, where celebrations had commenced over the weekend. Given the meteorological uncertainty, it remains unclear whether precipitation will impact the upcoming seven days of the grand festival. Durga Puja vacation has been announced two days earlier than scheduled for state schools in consideration of the weather conditions.

The waterlogging resulted in disruptions to train and metro services. Road transportation was also severely affected. Dozens of flights faced cancellation.

At least 10 deaths were documented in rain-related incidents yesterday, with eight resulting from electrocution in Kolkata. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has attributed blame to CESC, the city's power provider, for these fatalities. She alleges that these deaths could have been prevented if CESC had not neglected its infrastructure maintenance.

Kolkata's Mayor, Mr. Hakim, described yesterday's unprecedented rainfall as resembling a cloudburst, unprecedented in Kolkata's history. "Such cloudburst situations were typically observed in Uttarakhand or Himachal, but this time it occurred in Kolkata. South Kolkata is most severely affected. Many lives were lost. Numerous puja pandals are underwater. The Hooghly River has overflowed, creating significant challenges," he stated.

The flooding also triggered political repercussions, with Opposition Leader Suvendu Adhikari claiming that both the waterlogging and resultant deaths could have been averted had the government heeded early warnings and rainfall predictions issued a month prior.

Meanwhile, Ms. Banerjee attributed the situation to insufficient dredging at the Farakka barrage, which she claims caused flooding in the Ganga. "Certain political entities are making inappropriate comments regarding this natural disaster... We have repeatedly highlighted the absence of dredging operations by DVC."