Kolkata: The city experienced yet another surge of heavy rains on Friday evening, following the aftermath of Cyclone Dana, causing widespread flooding in both northern and southern parts of the city. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for very heavy rain today in Kolkata.
A red alert has been for several other districts:
Kolkata Weather Forecast
The weather forecast for the coming days in Kolkata shows a mix of cloudy skies and rain. On 26th October, the temperature will range between 26°C and 29°C, with a generally cloudy sky and one or two spells of rain or thundershowers expected. The weather on 27th October will remain generally cloudy with light rain, and temperatures will rise slightly, ranging between 26°C and 31°C. For the 28th and 29th of October, the forecast predicts a partly cloudy sky with possible thunder and lightning, with temperatures between 27°C and 32°C. On both 30th and 31st October, similar partly cloudy conditions are expected, with chances of rain or thunderstorms, and the temperature will likely stay steady between 27°C and 32°C.
“The combined efforts of the workers in the conservancy, drainage, and other departments helped in several areas. Low-lying regions like Bidhan Sarani, College Street, and Thanthania, known for their chronic waterlogging issues, are now drained within hours instead of days—if the rain stops,” shared Kolkata’s Mayor, Firhad Hakim. However, he added, “We are helpless if it continues to rain. Friday’s rain was unusually heavy.”
Data from KMC’s drainage pumping stations revealed that Jodhpur Park alone received 190 mm of rain from 4 am to 8 pm on Friday, while Ballygunge recorded 152 mm, and Kalighat 127 mm, as per a Telegraph India report.
Many other areas across the city recorded well over 100 mm of rainfall during this period. According to meteorological standards, any area receiving over 60 mm of rain in a day qualifies as heavy rain. However, Kolkata’s drainage infrastructure is only equipped to manage up to 6 mm of rainfall per hour, a limitation that worsened the situation, said civic officials.
College Street turned into a stream as water pooled around Calcutta University’s entrance and even the portico of Presidency University. In New Town, several housing complexes like Uniworld City, Rosedale, and DLF Elita Garden Vista were forced to operate bilge pumps to prevent basement parking lots from flooding. “We had to activate our pumps continuously in the basement parking areas to prevent them from flooding,” said Ranjan Basu, president of the Rosedale residents' welfare association.
Ruby Crossing and the road to Urbana also reported ankle- to knee-deep water, prompting workers to open manhole covers to drain water more quickly. KMC officials noted that the rain coincided with high tide in the Hooghly River, which worsened the waterlogging as the sluice gates were closed from 6:43 am to 2:47 pm, blocking any drainage into the river. Once the tide subsided and pumping stations resumed operation, a new spell of rain further aggravated the situation.
The flooding didn’t spare Kolkata’s hospitals. By 11:30 am, the cardiology building and Ronald Ross building at SSKM Hospital had ankle-deep water, forcing patient relatives to push trolleys through the flooded areas. The National Medical College and Hospital entrance also faced flooding, affecting its blood bank and physical medicine department.