Record September Rainfall Paralyses Kolkata, Seven Dead in Electrocutions

At least seven people were electrocuted by the torrential rain that immobilised Kolkata on Tuesday. The city's life came to a complete stop as numerous regions were submerged, transportation was disrupted, and traffic flow was thrown off balance.

IMD data indicates that the city experienced the third-highest September month rainfall in over 50 years, with some areas receiving up to 332 mm of rain in a few hours. The average overnight rainfall was 251.4 mm.

According to PTI, thousands of commuters were left stuck by the city's enormous flooding caused by the unrelenting downpour, which also negatively impacted transit services on the roads, trains and aeroplanes.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee described the downpour as "unprecedented", lashing out at poor dredging of the Farakka barrage and lapses by private power utility CESC, while appealing to people to stay indoors for their own safety.

"I have never seen rain like this. I feel so bad for the people who have lost their lives in the cloudburst. I heard 7–8 people have died due to electrocution by open or unattended wires. It is so unfortunate… Their families must all be given jobs by the CESC. I am saying this clearly. We will also do whatever is possible to help," Banerjee told a Bengali news channel.

According to the IMD, 369.6 mm of rain on September 28, 1978, and 259.5 mm of rain on September 26, 1986, exceeded Kolkata's normal rainfall of 251.4 mm during the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Only five times in the previous 140 years have Kolkata seen more rain than it did on Tuesday, according to records for every month kept by the Met office.

As the city was getting up for its largest celebration, Durga Puja, which will start later this week, the intense overnight rains on Tuesday knocked Kolkata to its knees.

Reportedly, 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.

Squarely blaming the utility, Banerjee said, "Electricity is supplied by CESC, not us. It is their duty to ensure people do not suffer because of this. They will do business here, but not modernise here? They should send people to the field and fix this." "Even our houses are submerged; we are all suffering. I am feeling so bad for the Pujo pandals as well. Schools have been asked to declare holidays and office-goers advised to stay home today and tomorrow," the chief minister said, adding she was in constant touch with the Mayor, chief secretary and police.

In addition to an unnamed individual in Gariahat, the deceased include Mumtaz Bibi (70) of Ekbalpur, Firoz Ali Khan (50) of Beniapukur, and Pranatosh Kundu (62) of Netaji Nagar.

"At this time, we have received reports of four electrocution deaths in various locations throughout the city, but subsequent official tallies put the number at seven," stated Firhad Hakim, the state Urban Development Minister and Mayor of Kolkata.  According to Hakim, personnel from the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) were working nonstop to remove the water from the majority of 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. It would be around 10 PM when the situation could be expected to improve," Hakim said to PTI.

Across the city, 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.

PTI reported that, long snarls were recorded on the EM Bypass, AJC Bose Road, and Central Avenue, while traffic flow was significantly disrupted at important crossings like Park Circus, Gariahat, Behala, and College Street.  In central and south Kolkata, a number of minor lanes were totally blocked off.  While taxis and app cabs either kept off the roads or charged outrageous fees, commuters reported that buses were breaking down in the middle.

Since staff and children were unable to navigate the flooded streets, many schools announced a holiday.  Jadavpur University and Calcutta University similarly halted all of their classes for the day.

Office workers suffered greatly as a result of traffic jams and a shortage of public transport.  Metro Railway and train services were severely disrupted.

A Metro spokesperson said 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 were expected to resume soon.

According airport officials, the rains caused major delays in 31 flights and the cancellation of at least 30 others.

Authorities cited persistent rain and poor visibility as the main safety concerns for the numerous planes that were grounded at Kolkata's Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport.

Due to waterlogging at Chitpur yard, Circular Railway services were discontinued, and trains to and from the terminal terminals in Howrah and Kolkata experienced partial disruptions.

A low-pressure system over the northeast Bay of Bengal is predicted to bring more intense rain to a number of districts in south Bengal, according to the IMD.