As Kolkata witnessed continuous rainfall throughout Thursday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a warning of increased rainfall activities across North and South Bengal districts over the next few days.
According to the IMD, the mercury in Kolkata hovered between 25 degree Celsius and 29 degree Celsius while the skies remained overcast. There was no respite from humidity, with the maximum relative humidity touching 97 per cent.
In South 24 Parganas and Purba Bardhaman districts, IMD issued an orange alert for Thursday and Friday amid a prediction of heavy rainfall (7-20 cm).
For Friday, the IMD has placed Bankura, Purulia, and Paschim Medinipur on orange alert. The rest of the districts, including Howrah, Hooghly, Jhargram, Murshidabad, and Nadia, will stay on yellow alert for the week ahead with forecasts of heavy rainfall (7-11 cm) and thunderstorms, along with gusty winds up to 40 kmph.
Authorities have already warned of possible waterlogging, traffic congestions, and lightning strikes.
Adding to the risk, squally weather over the Bay of Bengal has prompted the IMD to issue a warning for the fishermen. They have stated, “Due to the gusting winds reaching 55 kmph over North Bay of Bengal and along and off West Bengal coast from August 21 to August 23, fishermen are advised not to venture into the sea over North Bay of Bengal and along and off the West Bengal coast.”
In North Bengal, the IMD has placed Alipurduar on orange alert on Thursday amid prediction of heavy to very heavy rainfall (7-20 cm), thunderstorm activity, gusty winds, and lightning strikes. The remaining districts, including Darjeeling, Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri, and Malda, have been put on yellow alert for the remaining portion of the week.
Residents can expect heavy rainfall (7-11 cm) in some pockets of North Bengal. On Wednesday, Alipurduar’s Buxaduar area recorded 19 cm of rain, while multiple tea estates in Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling have logged between 7 cm and 13 cm of rainfall.
The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Kolkata said “an upper air cyclonic circulation lies over north Odisha and adjoining Gangetic West Bengal at 5.8 km above mean sea level. The monsoon trough now passes through Jaisalmer, Kota, Datia, Sidhi, Ranchi, Bankura, Digha and thence south eastwards to east central Bay of Bengal and extends up to 1.5 km above mean sea level. Under the influence of the above meteorological condition, light to moderate rainfall at most places over West Bengal, with heavy to very heavy rainfall at one or two places over some districts, (is) very likely to occur in the next two days.”