Durga Puja and Dussehra celebrations across eastern India were marred as a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal brought heavy rain, flooding, and warnings of more downpour in the days ahead.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued multiple red, orange and yellow alerts, warning of intense rainfall, squally winds and possible damage in West Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand.
On Bijoya Dashami, the final day of Durga Puja, Kolkata and several south Bengal districts saw showers and intense spells that forced revellers indoors.
The IMD forecast said: “Heavy to very heavy rain (07-20 cm) is very likely to occur at one or two places over South 24 Parganas, Purba and Paschim Medinipur and Jhargram districts of south Bengal while heavy downpour (07-11 cm) will take place at one or two places over Kolkata and Howrah till Friday morning.”
Rainfall warnings extend to North 24 Parganas, Bankura, Hooghly, Purba and Paschim Bardhaman and Purulia till October 3 morning. Birbhum, Murshidabad and other districts face similar forecasts on Friday.
The sub-Himalayan region, Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar, has been warned of “heavy to very heavy downpour” from Friday to Sunday.
The seaside town of Digha recorded the state’s highest rainfall in 24 hours till 8.30 am on Thursday at 102 mm. Sagar Island received 90 mm, while Kontai and Basirhat registered 70 mm each.
The system advanced towards the Odisha-Andhra coast at 18 kmph before noon on Thursday. At 11.30 am, it was centered 90 km south-southeast of Gopalpur and 140 km south-southwest of Puri.
“It is very likely to cross Odisha and adjoining Andhra Pradesh coasts close to Gopalpur by evening of Thursday,” the IMD said.
Manorama Mohanty, Director of the Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar, announced: “The IMD has issued red alert (take action) for Puri, Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput, Kalahandi and Kandhamal, where extremely heavy rainfall of above 20 cm may be experienced at isolated places till 8.30 AM on Friday.”
An orange warning is in force for 16 districts, including Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Bolangir, Angul and Cuttack. Seven western districts are under yellow alert.
Mohanty added, “Under the influence of the deep depression, squally wind speed reaching 55-65-kmph gusting to 75 kmph is very likely to prevail over central and adjoining north Bay of Bengal on October 2,” noting that intensity will gradually decline.
The impact has already been felt: landslides in Gajapati, fallen trees in Ganjam, a submerged bridge in Koraput disrupting NH-326, and injuries to two people after a bamboo gate collapsed in Jagatsinghpur during Puja celebrations.
In Jharkhand, heavy rain swept across Dumka, Ranchi, Hazaribag and other districts. A fatality was reported in Dumka where 50-year-old Savitri Devi was swept away in an overflowing drain.
Jagarnath Dhan, Officer-in-Charge of Town Police Station, said, “She probably could not judge the distance between the drain and her home due to waterlogging.”
The Ranchi Meteorological Centre expects the downpour to continue.
Abhishek Anand, in charge of the centre, said, “Light to moderate rainfall at many places with heavy rainfall at isolated places is likely on October 2. The state may witness light to moderate rainfall at most places and heavy to very heavy showers at isolated places tomorrow. Heavy rainfall is likely to occur at isolated places on October 4.”
Orange alerts have been issued for Garhwa, Palamu and Chatra, while yellow warnings cover Ranchi, Dhanbad, East Singhbhum and other districts till October 3.
The IMD also warned of thunderstorms with gusty winds up to 40 kmph till October 6, and a temperature drop of 3–5°C in the next three days.
The IMD has cautioned fishermen against venturing into the sea till October 3. Ports across Odisha have been asked to hoist Local Cautionary Signal No-III.