Several residents of Dum Dum Park, Kestopur and the adjoining areas in northeast Kolkata have moved out of their flooded homes.
A few who had waited till late Wednesday afternoon hoping that water level would recede, left their houses by evening as stagnant water posed health hazards at a time people are still coping with the pandemic.
Surajit Banik, a Dum Dum Park resident, said: “There has been no change in the water here since Monday afternoon. I realised I had to leave for the sake of my daughter and my old mother.”
Between Sunday night and Wednesday morning, Dum Dum received 249mm of rain.
Banik has moved to his sister’s house at Nagerbazar, close by, but on higher ground. Several others have either taken shelter with their friends or with relatives in Salt Lake, Ultadanga and Beleghata.
Senior officials of the irrigation department said the Bagjola canal was overflowing resulting in water flowing back in low-lying areas.
