Kolkata pockets waterlogged in localised rain – Times of India

KOLKATA: The city was lashed by a spell of heavy downpour late on Friday morning that led to waterlogging in several stretches of central and south Kolkata. The rain triggered by clouds floating in from Bangladesh was accompanied by frequent lightning strikes. While the shower lasted for more than an hour, the Met office said it was a thunderstorm. With the monsoon trough — that now passes through Krishnagore in Nadia — set to slide southward toward the city, Kolkata and south Bengal may receive moderate rain on Sunday and Monday.
Kolkata received 33mm on Friday. “Clouds that moved in from Bangladesh caused the rain. It turned to be heavy since they kept hovering over Kolkata for quite some time. The shower had little to do with the monsoon trough, which has started triggering heavy rain across north Bengal that may continue till August 2,” said Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) director GK Das. Several areas across Kalighat, Southern Avenue, Chetla, Rashbehari Avenue, apart from Gariahat Road, were waterlogged. Due to a high tide from 2pm to 3pm, lock gates had to be kept shut, which contributed to the waterlogging in the Chetla-Rashbehari-Kalighat area.
In central Kolkata, the Chandni Chowk-Esplanade area got waterlogged while New Market was left flooded by rain water. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation, however, claimed that the water receded by 4pm everywhere.
“For two hours, our pumps worked efficiently and managed to drain out the water,” said a KMC official.
While showers are expected from Sunday, they may remain moderate. “We don’t expect heavy rain in Kolkata and south Bengal now,” said Das. Kolkata and south Bengal had a rain deficit of 46% each for the period June 1 to July 16. Lack of low-pressures over north-east Bay of Bengal is the principal reason behind scanty rain in the city and south Bengal so far, said the Regional Meteorological Centre.
“Systems that form over Bangladesh also help as they often move through Gangetic Bengal triggering rain. This time, both have been absent so far. That apart, the monsoon trough has slid south of its normal position earlier this month and has now moved up to Krishnagore, leaving south Bengal dry,” said RMC director GK Das.