Kolkata faces severe waterlogging as Cyclone Dana brings torrential rain
Times of India | 25 October 2024
NEW DELHI: Large parts of Kolkata experienced severe waterlogging on Friday morning due to torrential rain caused by cyclone Dana.
According to the regional Met office in Alipore, the city received over 100 mm of rainfall till 11.30 am over the previous 24 hours.
Waterlogging disrupted traffic in areas such as Bhawanipur, New Market, Hazra, Dharmatala, and Behala.
Similar issues were reported in Thanthania Kalibari, Mahatma Gandhi Road, VIP Road, Park Circus, Dum Dum, and parts of New Town.
The headquarters of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) in Esplanade and the SSKM Hospital faced significant flooding.
At SSKM Hospital, patients, staff, and health workers navigated ankle-deep water, raising concerns about water-borne infections. The OPD wing of Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital also experienced water accumulation.
KMC deployed suction trucks and portable pumps to remove the water. Mayor Firhad Hakim assured that the civic body was on high alert and mobilized all resources. "However, the high tide in the Hooghly river and incessant rainfall may slow down drainage efforts," he added.
Streets in Kolkata were mostly deserted as people stayed indoors due to predictions of further heavy showers.
Apart from Kolkata, southern parts of Bengal also received heavy rainfall. Diamond Harbour and Sagar Island in South 24 Parganas recorded 93 mm and 89.6 mm of rain, respectively. In Purba Medinipur, Kalaikunda received 90.6 mm of rain, while Haldia, Medinipur Town, and Digha recorded 80 mm, 52 mm, and 37 mm, respectively. Jhargram received 66.6 mm of rainfall.