7 dead as Kolkata drowns under relentless overnight rains

Kolkata woke up to chaos on September 23 after relentless overnight rainfall claimed at least seven lives and brought the city to a standstill. Streets, railway tracks, and Metro lines were submerged, stranding commuters and forcing schools and offices to shut down.

Key neighborhoods including Lake Market, Rashbehari, Thanthania, Patuli, Santoshpur Avenue, Park Circus, Nagerbazar, and Bosepukur Talbagan reported water levels ranging from knee-deep to waist-high. In Bosepukur Talbagan, pandals were submerged after nearly five hours of incessant rain, threatening the city’s Durga Puja preparations.

The transport network bore the brunt of the downpour. Waterlogged roads left several vehicles stranded, school pool cars cancelled their services, and Eastern Railway suspended numerous trains. Suburban lines including Sealdah South and Circular Railway were completely halted, with major express services like the Hazarduari Express and Sealdah-Jangipur Express among those cancelled.

By early September 23 morning, Kamdahari (Garia) recorded a staggering 332 mm of rain, followed by Jodhpur Park at 285 mm, Kalighat at 280 mm, and Topsia (Alipore) at 275 mm. Central and northern parts of the city, including Ultadanga and Thanthania, also faced heavy deluges.

In response, the West Bengal government declared Durga Puja holidays in all state-run schools two days ahead of schedule. Education Minister Bratya Basu confirmed that institutions would remain closed on September 24 and 25, urging staff to perform essential duties from home.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee described the rainfall as “unprecedented” and directly blamed poor dredging of the Farakka Barrage and lapses by the Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation (CESC) for the city’s plight. She warned of further flooding, noting high tide in the Ganga and an ongoing influx of water from upstream states. “More water will come… where will we pump it out?” she said, appealing to both citizens and private sector employers to stay off the roads.

As city authorities scrambled to manage the crisis, the focus shifted to safeguarding Puja pandals and protecting residents from accidents, especially electrocution, which accounted for some of the fatalities. The government’s early Puja holiday and advisories aim to minimize risks amid what officials have called one of the heaviest downpours Kolkata has seen in recent memory.