Bengal rains: IMD warns of heavy showers from Bijoya Dashami; Kolkata, Howrah to see downpours
Under its influence, Howrah, South 24 Parganas, Purba and Paschim Medinipur are likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall, ranging from 7 to 20 cm.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast heavy rain in parts of West Bengal starting Thursday, October 2, coinciding with Bijoya Dashami, due to a developing low-pressure area. The system is expected to form over the central Bay of Bengal on Wednesday, October 1, and could intensify into a depression over the west-central and northwest Bay of Bengal by Thursday, before crossing the south Odisha–Andhra Pradesh coast on Friday morning.
Under its influence, Howrah, South 24 Parganas, Purba and Paschim Medinipur are likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall, ranging from 7 to 20 cm, on Thursday. Kolkata, along with North 24 Parganas, Hooghly, Jhargram, Bankura, and Purba Bardhaman, may see heavy rain of 7 to 11 cm.
On Friday, October 3, heavy to very heavy downpours are expected in Birbhum, Murshidabad, and Paschim Bardhaman. Northern Bengal districts, including Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, and Cooch Behar, could also experience heavy to very heavy rainfall on Friday and Saturday. Sub-Himalayan regions will also receive heavy rain on Thursday and Sunday.
Fishermen have been advised against venturing into the sea along and off the Odisha and West Bengal coasts during this period, as rough sea conditions are expected.
Bengal is currently celebrating Durga Puja, and some areas witnessed heavy rains as predicted on Mahaashtami (September 30), soaking the puja pandals.
Heavy rains lash Delhi
Heavy rain lashed the national capital on Tuesday, September 30, triggering traffic snarls, flooding underpasses and leaving thousands of commuters stranded on key stretches in Delhi.
The IMD issued an 'orange alert' for Delhi, upgrading it from yellow. The alert warns of moderate to heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds reaching up to 40 kmph. Under the IMD’s colour-coded system, an orange warning places the city in “be prepared” mode.
The rains were witnessed less than a week after the southwest monsoon officially withdrew from Delhi on September 24, a day earlier than its usual schedule. This marked the earliest withdrawal from the capital since 2002, when it retreated on September 20.
(With agency inputs)