Written by Parthivee Mukherji
Kolkata and large parts of West Bengal are set for a rain-soaked week, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting thunderstorm activity across both South and North Bengal.
The IMD has warned of the possibility of lightning strikes in open field areas. Multiple districts have been repeatedly flagged for heavy rain – enough to flood low-lying areas and choke traffic.
In South Bengal, from Kolkata’s streets to the coastal areas of Purba Medinipur, the IMD issued yellow alerts for most districts till August 25 for thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds (30-40 kmph). Heavy rainfall of 7-11 cm is also predicted in pockets – particularly in Purba and Paschim Medinipur, South 24 Parganas, Jhargram, Murshidabad, and Nadia. Authorities have warned residents to take precautions.
In North Bengal, districts such as Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and Alipurduar also have yellow alerts in place till August 23. Heavy rainfall (7-11 cm) is expected in these districts, with thunderstorms and gusty winds (30-40 kmph). Dakshin Dinajpur and Malda have alerts for August 24 and 25, while Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar have alerts for August 26 and 27.
The Bay of Bengal, too, is predicted to be in a rough condition. The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Kolkata has warned that “squally weather with surface wind speed reaching 55 kmph is very likely to prevail over North Bay of Bengal and along and off the West Bengal coast during August 20, and from August 23 to 24. With seas turning rough to very rough, fishermen have been strictly advised not to venture out.”
The RMC, in its Special Bulletin on Wednesday, stated: “Yesterday’s Depression over south interior Odisha moved west-northwestwards and weakened into a well-marked low pressure area at 5:30 pm yesterday and further weakened into a low-pressure area over central parts of Chhattisgarh and adjoining east Madhya Pradesh. However, the associated cyclonic circulation lays over southeast Madhya Pradesh & neighbourhood and extends up to 4.5 km above mean sea level. The monsoon trough now passes through Nalia, Vallabh Vidyanagar, Betul, Mandla, Sambalpur, Chandbali and thence east-southeast words to east central Bay of Bengal, extending up to 1.5 km above mean sea level. Due to strong moisture incursion from the Bay of Bengal and the anticipated shift of monsoon trough towards West Bengal, rainfall activity is likely to increase over the districts of West Bengal, with heavy rainfall at one or two places over some districts.”
Parthivee Mukherji is an intern at The Indian Express