Kolkata braces for heavy rain and gusty winds; IMD issues heavy rain alert for 13 Bengal districts

Heavy rainfall has been reported in several parts of West Bengal, with alerts issued for both South and North Bengal districts. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), eight districts in South Bengal—Kolkata, Hooghly, North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, East Burdwan, West Burdwan, Birbhum, Murshidabad, and Nadia—are likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall till Thursday. Wind speeds in Kolkata are expected to reach 30 to 40 km/h, accompanied by thunder and lightning.

Rainfall activity is being caused by a low-pressure area and cyclonic circulation extending from Madhya Pradesh to northeast Bangladesh. Due to this system, moisture is being drawn in from the Bay of Bengal, resulting in continuous rainfall across both plains and hilly areas of the state. The rainfall is expected to continue throughout the week in southern parts of Bengal.

In North Bengal, rain was recorded on Monday in Kalimpong, Malda, and South Dinajpur. On Tuesday, rainfall is expected in Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, and North Dinajpur. From Thursday onwards, five districts in North Bengal are likely to experience increased rainfall, which could persist till the weekend.

The IMD has also advised fishermen not to venture into the sea till Monday night due to strong winds and rough sea conditions. Coastal warnings have been issued in view of the high wind speeds, and residents in affected areas have been advised to take precautions against potential hazards like waterlogging and lightning.

In addition to Bengal, parts of Jharkhand, Sikkim, Odisha, and Madhya Pradesh have also been forecasted to receive heavy rainfall in the coming days. Minimum temperature in Kolkata was recorded at 27.1°C and the maximum at 31.8°C as per the latest bulletin.