Torrential rains devastate Kolkata; High Court cars crushed by falling trees

A sudden and dramatic shift in weather brought chaos to Kolkata on Tuesday afternoon as severe thunderstorms and torrential rain lashed the metropolis. The day began with uncomfortably hot and humid conditions, but the sky turned pitch black by noon, creating an eerie evening-like darkness in the middle of the day. The downpour started around 2:30 PM, accompanied by frequent lightning strikes and powerful gusty winds that sent commuters scrambling for shelter.

The intense storm caused widespread damage across several prominent areas of the city, with the Calcutta High Court premises being significantly affected. Multiple large trees collapsed inside the court compound, completely crushing and damaging several parked commercial and private vehicles. Fortunately, no injuries were reported from the scene, though the physical impact of the uprooted trees left vehicle owners devastated.

Major thoroughfares including Dharmatala, Park Street, and the Maidan area also bore the brunt of the heavy winds, with massive trees falling onto the roads. The structural blockages brought vehicular movement to a complete standstill, throwing public life and the city's transport network into total disarray. Initial reports from the Meteorological Department confirmed that wind speeds reached 30 to 40 kmph in the city, while neighboring districts like Howrah, Hooghly, Nadia, and the 24 Parganas experienced gusts up to 50 kmph.

While the monsoon has firmly established itself in North Bengal, trigger warnings and orange alerts have now been extended for parts of South Bengal due to these aggressive weather patterns. Rivers in the northern hilly districts are already swelling, and authorities are keeping a close watch on municipal drainage and disaster management services in Kolkata to clear the uprooted blockages.