Kolkata woke up to chaos on Tuesday after a massive overnight downpour turned the city into a watery mess. Heavy rain, triggered by a rare cloudburst, dumped over 300 mm of water in just five hours starting from 1 a.m. This unprecedented flooding has submerged streets under knee-deep water, disrupted daily life, and sadly led to seven deaths from electrocution.
Mayor Firhad Hakim urged residents to stay indoors for the day. “Don’t step out—it’s too dangerous,” he warned, pointing to risks from short circuits and submerged electric poles. He headed to the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) headquarters to oversee efforts and push teams to act fast, especially with Durga Puja kicking off officially on September 27 and pandals opening as early as Wednesday evening.
Hakim called the situation “horrific” and unlike anything he’s seen in his lifetime. The Hooghly River overflowed, so officials opened lock gates to drain city water—but that backfired as river water flowed back in, making the flooding worse. Even with scattered light rain continuing into the morning, Hakim said it could take 12 to 14 hours for things to normalize, assuming no more heavy showers hit.
A red alert remains in place for Kolkata due to the extreme rainfall. Lock gates will close again at noon because of high tide in the Hooghly, reopening only at 4 p.m. Drainage officials worry that if another round of heavy rain strikes during this window—as forecasts suggest—waterlogging in Kolkata could get even more severe.
Tarak Singh, KMC’s member for drainage and sewerage, admitted the system is stretched thin. “I’ve never witnessed rain like this during Durga Puja season,” he said. Teams have been pumping water through culverts since last night, but some got delayed, slowing down the drainage.
The chaos has rippled across the city. Calcutta University canceled all exams scheduled for the day amid the heavy rain and flooding. Railways took a big hit too—sheds at Howrah Yard, Sealdah South Yard, and Chitpur North Cabin flooded overnight. Water pooled on tracks, forcing cancellations of long-distance trains like the Up Hazarduari Express and Sealdah-Jangipur Express. Local routes shortened, and services on lines like Bangaon and Hasnabad stalled, with trains stuck short of Dum Dum station.
In the Howrah division, premium trains such as the Vande Bharat Express routes to New Jalpaiguri, Gaya, and Jamalpur faced disruptions. Other services, including the Black Diamond Express, Ganadevata Express, and Ranchi Shatabdi, also ground to a halt.
Even the Kolkata Metro couldn’t escape the deluge. Water logged the tracks between Mahanayak Uttam Kumar and Rabindra Sadan stations on the Blue Line, suspending services from Shahid Khudiram to Maidan for now. Trains are running a limited route from Dakshineswar to Maidan instead.
As Kolkata grapples with this record rainfall and ongoing waterlogging, authorities are racing to clear the streets ahead of the festive season. Stay tuned for updates on the flooding situation and recovery efforts.
Stay informed on all the latest news, real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in world News on Latest NewsX. Follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter(X), Gettr and subscribe our Youtube Channel.
