Heavy rain lashes Kolkata; flights, suburban trains disrupted

KOLKATA: Several flights at the Kolkata airport and suburban trains from Howrah and Sealdah stations have been affected due to strong crosswinds and heavy rains.

As many as 23 domestic flights have been diverted from the airport.

Waterlogging has been reported from across the city including areas such as MG Road, Dum Dum Under Pass and Burdwan road. Many areas have reportedly been under knee-deep to ankle-deep water due to incessant rain.

Traffic on several roots like S Avenue and Jatin Bagchi Road has been stopped as strong winds uprooted many trees.

Regional Meteorological Department has predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall in the next 48 hours. "A depression has formed over Gangetic West Bengal and adjoining north Bay of Bengal and lay centred about 50 km southeast of Kolkata at 5.30 am today," the Met department said.

The system is very likely to move initially west-northwestwards and intensify into a deep depression during the next 24 hours, it said.

More details are awaited.

(With agency inputs)