Kolkata, Sept 23: At least eight people were killed due to electrocution as torrential overnight rain – among the heaviest in nearly four decades- left Kolkata paralysed on Tuesday, disrupting air, rail and road transport, shutting down educational institutions, and forcing the state government to declare Puja holidays two days in advance.
The deluge – 251.4 mm in less than 24 hours – was the highest since 1986 and sixth-highest single-day rainfall in the last 137 years, only behind the record 369.6 mm in 1978, 253 mm in 1888, and 259.5 in 1986. It turned arterial roads into rivers, snapping Metro and train services, and throwing air travel into disarray as the city gasped for normalcy ahead of Durga Puja next week.
“At least eight persons have died due to electrocution, as per our reports so far,” a senior official of Kolkata police said.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee described the downpour as “unprecedented”, blaming poor dredging of the Farakka barrage and lapses by private power utility CESC for the deaths, while appealing to people to stay indoors.
“I have never seen rain like this. 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,” Banerjee told a Bengali news channel.
Squarely blaming the utility, she 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.”
For lakhs of residents, Tuesday dawned to a city under siege by water. In south Kolkata’s Garia and Jodhpur Park, residents stepped out of homes to find knee-to-waist-deep water in living rooms, ground floors and shops.
Many frantically shifted furniture to upper floors, while traders at Gariahat and College Street tried in vain to salvage soaked stocks of books, garments and electronics.
Motorcycles and cars bobbed like abandoned boats, buses broke down mid-way, and commuters trudged barefoot through filthy floodwaters clutching their belongings over their heads.
“I had to walk nearly three kilometres in waist-deep water from Lake Gardens to Rashbehari Avenue. I don’t know how I will get back home,” said office-goer Rupa Chatterjee.
Those stranded in app cabs complained of exorbitant surge fares, while many others waited for hours in vain at bus stops.
“Autos refused to ply, cabs demanded Rs 600 for a ride that usually costs Rs 150. We were left helpless,” said a commuter at Park Circus.
Mayor and Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim admitted that most parts of the city were waterlogged despite continuous pumping by civic teams.
“The canals and rivers are full of water and every time water is drained out, more comes inside the city. The situation may not improve until after tonight’s low tide,” he said.
Across the city, arterial roads such as EM Bypass, AJC Bose Road and Central Avenue turned into rivers, while traffic crawled for hours at key intersections like Park Circus, Gariahat, Behala and College Street. Smaller lanes in southern and central Kolkata were completely cut off.
Metro services were suspended between Shahid Khudiram and Maidan stations since morning, with truncated runs only on the Dakshineswar–Maidan stretch. Eastern Railway halted movement in the Sealdah south section, while skeletal services were attempted in the north and main sections. Circular Railway services were suspended due to waterlogging at Chitpur yard.
Air travel was also hit hard. At least 30 flights were cancelled and 31 others delayed due to heavy rains.
The state government announced that all government-run educational institutions will remain closed on September 24 and 25.
“In view of the situation, Puja holidays are being advanced in state-run institutions,” Education Minister Bratya Basu said. Calcutta University and Jadavpur University suspended academic activities, while private schools either declared holidays or switched to online classes.
The IMD said the rainfall intensity was highest in south and east Kolkata. Garia Kamdahari recorded 332 mm in a few hours, followed by Jodhpur Park (285 mm), Kalighat (280 mm), Topsia (275 mm) and Ballygunge (264 mm). North Kolkata’s Thanthania recorded 195 mm.
The weather office has warned of more heavy rain in Purba and Paschim Medinipur, South 24 Parganas, Jhargram and Bankura districts till Wednesday. Another fresh low-pressure area is expected to form over the Bay of Bengal around September 25.
“This rain is so unusual. Even our homes are submerged. I feel bad for the Pujo pandals as well. Schools have been asked to remain shut and office-goers advised to stay home today and tomorrow,” Banerjee said, adding she was in constant touch with the Mayor, Chief Secretary and police.
Workers at pandals across south Kolkata were seen pumping out water through makeshift hoses and drains, fearing damage to decorative structures ahead of the festivities.
“We had worked for three months to build this pandal. Now everything is under water. We are worried the bamboo structure may collapse,” said a Durga Puja organiser in Kalighat.
The rainfall also revived memories of Kolkata’s worst cloudbursts. The 1978 deluge that dumped nearly 370 mm of rain in a day had submerged the city for a week, while in 2006 and 2020, during Cyclone Amphan, heavy rains similarly left the city marooned. (PTI)
