The unrelenting downpour triggered widespread flooding across the city, leaving thousands of commuters stranded and affecting public transport services
Commuters make their way through a waterlogged road. Pic/PTI
Heavy rainfall lashed Kolkata on Tuesday, causing severe disruption to air travel, with at least 30 flights cancelled and many others delayed, officials said, reported the PTI.
The unrelenting downpour triggered widespread flooding across the city, leaving thousands of commuters stranded and affecting public transport services.
At Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, numerous flights were grounded as adverse weather conditions led to low visibility and safety concerns.
"At least 30 flights have been cancelled so far, and 31 others are running late," stated an official from Kolkata Airport, according to the PTI.
Further disruptions are anticipated as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued warnings of continued heavy rain over the coming days, attributed to a developing low-pressure system over the northeastern Bay of Bengal.
The rainfall, which began overnight, led to severe waterlogging in several areas. Major roads were inundated, stranding vehicles and making travel nearly impossible. Many residents were seen wading through waist-deep water.
Compounding the chaos, services on a major stretch of the Kolkata Metro's Blue Line were suspended, with several stations in waterlogged zones forced to shut.
Tragically, local authorities have reported at least seven fatalities due to electrocution, along with several injuries linked to rain-related accidents.
The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) reported that southern and eastern areas were the worst affected. Garia Kamdahari received an extraordinary 332 mm of rainfall in just a few hours, while Jodhpur Park recorded 285 mm.
Local authorities have advised residents to avoid unnecessary travel, and emergency teams have been deployed to assist with flood management and rescue operations.
Meanwhile, the West Bengal government on Tuesday declared Puja holidays in state-run educational institutions two days ahead of schedule.
Following up on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's appeal to stay off waterlogged roads to prevent accidents by electrocution and instructing holidays in schools or shift to online classes, state education minister Bratya Basu announced that all government-run education institutions would remain closed on September 24 and 25, the PTI reported.
(with PTI inputs)
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