Met office forecast heavy rain in Kolkata on Dashami, likely to disrupt idol immersion

Kolkata, Oct 1 The Met department on Wednesday forecast rain accompanied by thunderstorms in Kolkata, which is likely to dampen the festive mood in the city as a large number of people will throng puja mandaps on the penultimate day of Durga Puja, and heavy to very heavy rain in Dashami on Thursday, which is likely to disrupt the process of idol immersion on banks of the Hooghly river.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), rainfall across the region could range from 64.5 mm (heavy) to over 115 mm (very heavy), which can worsen the waterlogging situation and cause traffic disruptions.

"Light to moderate rain is very likely at most places, with heavy to very heavy rain (7–20 cm) at one or two places,” the IMD said in its latest bulletin, listing districts including South 24 Parganas, East Midnapore, North 24 Parganas, and Hooghly.

Kolkata, along with districts of Jhargram, Howrah, Nadia, and East Burdwan, is also expected to see heavy rainfall (7–11 cm) on Dashami. Gusty winds up to 50 kmph and lightning are likely in coastal areas such as East Midnapore and South 24 Parganas, while thunderstorm activity has been forecast in multiple south Bengal districts on Wednesday.

In north Bengal, the districts of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar, South Dinajpur and North Dinajpur are expected to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall on October 2.

The IMD has also issued a public advisory warning of waterlogging in low-lying zones, traffic snarls and disruption in underpasses and key city roads between October 2 and 4.

Meanwhile, the rain could extend beyond Durga Puja in the districts of Murshidabad, Birbhum, East Burdwan, Nadia, Bankura, Purulia, and Hooghly.

The IMD, in a statement, said under the influence of the cyclonic circulation over the East Central Bay of Bengal and its neighbourhood, a low-pressure area has formed over the West Central Bay of Bengal.

It is likely to move north-westwards and intensify into a depression over west-central and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal by October 2 morning and cross the south Odisha-north Andhra Pradesh coast around October 3 morning.

As immersion of idols takes place on the Hooghly river banks, the weather forecast came as a cause of concern for civic authorities in Kolkata. Steps are being taken to ensure no untoward incident takes place during immersion, as the water level in the river will rise due to heavy spells of rain.

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