Heavy showers in the metropolis and Gangetic West Bengal since late Thursday night spoiled the festivities of Bhaiphonta (Bhai Dooj), with weathermen forecasting rain across the region till Saturday.
Strong winds coupled with frequent heavy showers since Thursday afternoon, triggered by a depression off the Odisha coast, also washed away much of the Kali puja and Deepavali festivities.
A number of community Kali puja pandals in Howrah, Hooghly, Naihati, Barrackpore and Madhyamgram in North 24 Parganas and several places in South 24 Parganas districts were damaged due to the strong winds and heavy showers.
In East Midnapore district, a key bridge linking the seaside tourist destinations of Shankarpur and Tajpur collapsed due to strong waves and a surge in the Bay of Bengal.
Overflowing sea waters have inundated large parts of the Jamura-Shyampur village close to the bridge. District officials said efforts were continuing on war footing to repair the damaged bridge and stop water seepage.
The regional meteorological office said heavy to very heavy rain is expected over Kolkata and adjoining areas of West Bengal due to a depression over coastal Odisha, which is expected to move in a northward direction for a while and then move north northeastwards, weakening gradually into a well-marked low pressure area over the next 24 hours.
DH News Service
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