Just two days after Kolkata witnessed unprecedented flooding on Tritiya (September 23), the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of more spells of rain during Durga Puja, raising concerns for pandal hoppers and organisers.
IMD officials, in a notification, stated that a low-pressure system is forming over the Bay of Bengal, which is likely to intensify into a depression by September 26 before crossing the Odisha-Andhra coast the next morning.
Under its influence, south Bengal, including Kolkata, will receive light to moderate rain almost every day for the next week. The IMD has issued an alert for September 27, warning of heavy rainfall at isolated places in South 24 Parganas and Jhargram, along with thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds reaching 40 to 50 kmph in parts of the city and surrounding districts.
Sashthi to Astami, the peak days for pandal hopping, are expected to see frequent spells of rain, which may lead to traffic snarls and waterlogging in low-lying pockets of Kolkata. The IMD has cautioned that temporary flooding of underpasses and reduced visibility during heavy showers are possible, particularly on September 27.
The fresh forecast has triggered worries in Kolkata, where images of knee-deep water and stranded commuters from earlier this week are still fresh in memory.