Heavy rain paralyses commutes; depression centred near Kolkata
Heavy to extremely heavy rainfall associated with a well-marked low-pressure system that rapidly intensified into a depression brought Kolkata and its suburbs to a virtual standstill on Monday, August 17. The Alipore Regional Meteorological Centre said the weather system was centred near Kolkata around 8:30 a.m., and was expected to move inland towards Jharkhand and Bihar within 24 hours.
Normal life was disrupted as several thoroughfares across the city and adjacent areas — including Salt Lake and parts of Howrah — experienced severe waterlogging. Commuters on two-wheelers and pedestrians were forced to wade through knee-deep water at multiple locations during peak office hours, while motorists faced massive delays.
- Maximum recorded rainfall (24 hours to 8:30 a.m.): Haldia (Purba Medinipur) — 134 mm.
- Digha — 113 mm; Diamond Harbour (South 24 Parganas) — 112 mm.
- Major city roads reported with knee-deep water: Central Avenue, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Thanthania, College Street, Amherst Street, Park Circus Connector and Khidirpur.
"The system was centred near Kolkata around 8:30 a.m. and is likely [to] move towards Jharkhand and Bihar in the next 24 hours," the Alipore Regional Meteorological Centre said in an official statement.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Alipore RMC issued advisories as the depression produced intense downpours across coastal and interior districts. The IMD forecast extremely heavy rainfall for Paschim Medinipur, Jhargram and Bankura on Monday, and very heavy to extremely heavy falls over Purba Medinipur, South 24 Parganas, Purulia, Howrah, Hooghly, and both Purba and Paschim Bardhaman.
Civic officials and local residents reported localized inundation where drainage could not cope with the volume of water. Several arterial stretches saw stalled traffic, affecting buses and private vehicles; footage and images from the morning showed two-wheelers and small cars negotiating deep water while pedestrians sought raised footpaths where available.
| Location | 24-hour rainfall (mm) |
|---|---|
| Haldia (Purba Medinipur) | 134 |
| Digha | 113 |
| Diamond Harbour (South 24 Parganas) | 112 |
Urban flooding compounded peak-hour congestion at multiple junctions. Roads such as Central Avenue and MG Road — vital links for commuters to commercial and administrative hubs — recorded significant slowdowns. The Park Circus Connector and portions of College Street, a key artery near educational and cultural institutions, were also affected, disrupting both vehicular and pedestrian movement.
Authorities have been monitoring the system as it moved inland. The IMD's outlook for the next 24–48 hours indicated that while the depression was likely to progress away from the coast, heavy to very heavy showers could continue in pockets, maintaining the potential for further waterlogging in low-lying urban sectors.
Residents are advised to plan travel with extra time, avoid flooded stretches where possible, and follow official weather updates. Those in low-lying or poorly drained areas were urged to remain vigilant until the system weakens and waters subside.
The episode underlines recurring challenges in managing intense short-duration rainfall in Kolkata's ageing drainage network, which often struggles during concentrated downpours. With the monsoon and associated systems continuing to influence the region, relief and restoration of normal traffic flow will depend on both the weakening of the depression and civic drainage response over the next day.
