Several feared dead in Kolkata as overnight torrential rains lash the city and its suburbs
The Hindu | 23 September 2025The city received about 247. 5 mm rainfall in the past 24 hours leading to waterlogging in several neighbourhoods. Suburban railway and metro services were disrupted as life came to a standstill in the city.
Most of the deaths were due to electrocution. There were reports of electrocution in city’s Netaji Nagar Road, Kalikapur and Gariahat area, Abhisipta crossing., Behala and Beniapukur areas among others. There were reports of about seven deaths across the city. However, there was no official confirmation of these causalities.
Kolkata Municipal Corporation Mayor Firhad Hakim urged people not to venture out of their homes in view of the severe water logging. “ I have never seen such torrential rains in the past. The water is not being pumped out in the river. We have opened lock gates but the water is coming back, since all the canal are full of water. I will appeal to the residents of Kolkata not to come out of their homes for today. At many places people have been electrocuted,” the Mayor said.
Water entered many houses and residential complexes in Kolkata due to the overnight rain which lasted for almost five hours Due to the severe rain, water also entered the tunnels of the North-South Blue Line metro and services have been suspended. “ Metro services have been suspended between Shahid Khudiram to Maidan station. Truncated services are being run between Dakshineswar and Maidan stations.,” a Kolkata Metro release said.
Services were also affected at the Sealdah and Howrah Division Railway stations with water entering the car sheds from the nearby waterlogged localities. The services of South Sealdah Suburban Division was severely affected. Some long distance trains of Eastern Railway were also rescheduled and cancelled.
The government medical colleges in Kolkata were also submerged under water causing severe logistical issues for both medical staff and patients including National Medical, RG Kar, Calcutta Medical, and NRS Hospital. Emergency health services were also affected in multiple places.
Similar statements were also issued by airline service providers after disruption in services due to the heavy rains in Kolkata. “Some routes across #Kolkata have been impacted by heavy rain, leading to temporary blocks or diversions,” an official statement from Indigo said on their X account.
“Generally cloudy sky with a few spells of light to moderate rain/thundershower very likely to occur,” an official statement from IMD said. The Regional Meteorological Centre in Kolkata recorded 247.5 mm.
However, Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) confirmed that Garia Kamdahari recorded 332 mm of rain in just a few hours while Jodhpur Park reported 285 mm of rain. Kalighat recorded 280mm of rain, Topsia 275 mm, Ballygunge 264 mm. In some places in Bidhannagar area trees were uprooted blocking thoroughfares.
Due to the unprecedented rain, draining out the water has become a problem. KMC officials have said that it will take 10-12 hours to drain this water, provided there is no fresh rainfall.. Portable pumps are being used in multiple places to pump out water.. According to India Meteorological Department (IMD) a low pressure area along the Bay of Bengal is likely to bring heavy rainfall in south Bengal in the coming days. With Durga Puja festivities only a few days away, many Durga Puja pandals were submerged under water after the incessant rains.
