4 die of electrocution as heavy overnight rain paralyses normal life in Kolkata

Kolkata: Torrential overnight rain left Kolkata reeling on Tuesday, killing at least four people due to electrocution and paralysing life in the city as rainwater inundated vast areas, crippled transport services and brought traffic and trains to a grinding halt.

Vehicles lay stranded on arterial roads, commuters waded through waist-deep water at several intersections, and Metro services were suspended on a long stretch of the Blue Line as the city struggled to cope with one of its heaviest spells of rain in years.

Those who lost their lives were identified as Firoz Ali Khan (50) of Beniapukur, Pranatosh Kundu (62) of Netaji Nagar, and Mumtaz Bibi (70) of Ekbalpur, besides an unidentified person in Gariahat.

"So far, we have received information of four deaths due to electrocution in different places in the city," Kolkata Mayor and state Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim told PTI.

Hakim said that most parts of the city were waterlogged and teams of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) were working round the clock to drain out the water.

"Our officers are working hard. But the canals and rivers are full of water and every time water is drained out, more is getting inside the city. We fear that the high tide which is around 1.30 PM today, may not help in our efforts to drain out the excessive water from the city. It would be around 10 PM when the situation could be expected to improve," Hakim said.

Traffic movement was severely affected across most arterial roads, with vehicles stranded for hours in knee-to-waist-deep water at key intersections such as Park Circus, Gariahat, Behala, and College Street.

Long snarls were reported on EM Bypass, AJC Bose Road and Central Avenue, while several smaller lanes in south and central Kolkata were completely cut off.

Commuters complained of buses breaking down mid-way, while taxis and app cabs either stayed off the roads or charged exorbitant fares.

Many schools declared a holiday as students and staff could not make their way through flooded streets.

Office-goers too faced severe hardships due to lack of public transport and traffic snarls.

Train and Metro Railway services were also badly hit. Significant waterlogging was reported in the mid-section of the Blue Line (Dakshineswar-Shahid Khudiram), particularly between Mahanayak Uttam Kumar and Rabindra Sarobar stations, prompting suspension of services on this stretch.

A Metro Railway spokesperson said in order to ensure passengers' safety, services were suspended between Shahid Khudiram and Maidan stations since morning hours. "Truncated services are being run between Dakshineswar and Maidan stations," the official said, adding that normal services are expected to resume soon.

Eastern Railway authorities said train movement in the Sealdah south section has been suspended owing to waterlogged tracks, while skeletal services are being run in the Sealdah north and main sections.

Trains to and from Howrah and Kolkata terminal stations were partially affected, while services on the Circular Railway line were suspended due to waterlogging at Chitpur yard.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said a low-pressure area over the northeast Bay of Bengal is likely to bring more heavy rain in several south Bengal districts.

The intensity of the downpour was higher in the southern and eastern parts of Kolkata, the KMC said. Garia Kamdahari recorded 332 mm of rainfall in just a few hours, followed by Jodhpur Park (285 mm), Kalighat (280 mm), Topsia (275 mm), and Ballygunge (264 mm). Thantania in north Kolkata received 195 mm.

The weather office warned that heavy rainfall is likely to continue in Purba and Paschim Medinipur, South 24 Parganas, Jhargram and Bankura districts till Wednesday. It added that another fresh low-pressure area is likely to form over the east-central and adjoining north Bay of Bengal around September 25.