3 die of electrocution as heavy rains flood Kolkata, halt transport
Officials said train and Metro Railway services in the city and suburbs were severely hit due to waterlogged tracks.
Officials said train and Metro Railway services in the city and suburbs were severely hit due to waterlogged tracks.
Officials said train and Metro Railway services in the city and suburbs were severely hit due to waterlogged tracks.
Kolkata: At least three persons died of electrocution in rain-hit areas of Kolkata. Very heavy overnight rainfall triggered widespread waterlogging on Tuesday, bringing traffic, public transport and daily life in the city and its surroundings to a grinding halt.
Officials said train and Metro Railway services in the city and suburbs were severely hit due to waterlogged tracks. Water also entered several houses and residential complexes as major roads went underwater following the downpour that began past midnight.
Significant waterlogging was reported in the mid-section of the Metro’s Blue Line (Dakshineswar–Shahid Khudiram), particularly between Mahanayak Uttam Kumar and Rabindra Sarobar stations, leading to the suspension of services on that stretch.
A Metro spokesperson said that services have been suspended between Shahid Khudiram and Maidan stations “in order to ensure passengers' safety.” In contrast, truncated services are being operated between Dakshineswar and Maidan. Normal operations are expected to resume soon, he added.
Train movement in the Sealdah south section has also been suspended due to waterlogging. At the same time, limited services are being operated in the Sealdah north and main sections, according to Eastern Railway officials. Partial disruption was also reported at Howrah and Kolkata terminal stations, while train movement on the Circular Railway line was suspended following waterlogging at Chitpur yard.
Many schools declared a holiday due to the flooding, while office-goers struggled to reach their workplaces amid traffic snarls and a shortage of public transport.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) warned of further heavy rain in south Bengal districts due to a low-pressure area over the northeast Bay of Bengal. It said another fresh system is likely to form over the east-central and adjoining north Bay of Bengal around September 25.
According to the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), rainfall intensity was highest in the southern and eastern parts of the city, with Garia Kamdahari recording 332 mm, followed by Jodhpur Park (285 mm), Kalighat (280 mm), Topsia (275 mm) and Ballygunge (264 mm). Thantania in north Kolkata received 195 mm.
(With PTI inputs)