Torrential rain overnight inundates Kolkata ahead of Durga Puja; four dead, services come to halt, vehicles stranded
Kolkata rains: Mayor and state Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim confirmed, "So far, we have received information of four deaths due to electrocution in different places in the city."
- Sep 23, 2025,
- Updated Sep 23, 2025 12:24 PM IST
Ahead of the auspicious Durga Puja, from September 28 to October 2, Kolkata was left inundated by torrential rains overnight. At least four people lost their lives due to electrocution as rains paralysed life in the city.
Torrential rain overnight battered the city, causing extensive waterlogging, major transport disruption, and the deaths of at least four people due to electrocution. Key roads and intersections, including Park Circus, Gariahat, Behala, and College Street, were submerged, with vehicles stranded for hours and traffic grinding to a halt. Commuters faced waist-deep water at several locations, while Metro and suburban railway services were curtailed as rainwater inundated tracks and stations.
Kolkata Mayor and state Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim confirmed, "So far, we have received information of four deaths due to electrocution in different places in the city."
Hakim reported that Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) teams are working continuously to clear the water, but the persistent rainfall and high tide are hindering drainage. "Our officers are working hard. But the canals and rivers are full of water and every time water is drained out, more is getting inside the city. We fear that the high tide which is around 1:30 pm today, may not help in our efforts to drain out the excessive water from the city. It would be around 10 pm when the situation could be expected to improve," Hakim said.
The downpours impact was most acute in the southern and eastern parts of Kolkata, with Garia Kamdahari recording 332 mm of rainfall, followed by Jodhpur Park (285 mm), Kalighat (280 mm), Topsia (275 mm), and Ballygunge (264 mm). Thantania in north Kolkata received 195 mm. Buses broke down en route, taxis and app cabs were in short supply or charged inflated fares, and office-goers struggled to reach workplaces amid widespread traffic snarls.
Metro Railway services were suspended between Shahid Khudiram and Maidan stations after significant waterlogging on the Blue Line. "Truncated services are being run between Dakshineswar and Maidan stations," an official said.
Eastern Railway authorities suspended train operations in the Sealdah south section due to waterlogged tracks, and partial disruptions were reported at Howrah, Kolkata terminal stations, and the Circular Railway. The India Meteorological Department warned of continuing heavy rainfall in several south Bengal districts, with a fresh low-pressure area likely to form over the Bay of Bengal by September 25.
Ahead of the auspicious Durga Puja, from September 28 to October 2, Kolkata was left inundated by torrential rains overnight. At least four people lost their lives due to electrocution as rains paralysed life in the city.
Torrential rain overnight battered the city, causing extensive waterlogging, major transport disruption, and the deaths of at least four people due to electrocution. Key roads and intersections, including Park Circus, Gariahat, Behala, and College Street, were submerged, with vehicles stranded for hours and traffic grinding to a halt. Commuters faced waist-deep water at several locations, while Metro and suburban railway services were curtailed as rainwater inundated tracks and stations.
Kolkata Mayor and state Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim confirmed, "So far, we have received information of four deaths due to electrocution in different places in the city."
Hakim reported that Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) teams are working continuously to clear the water, but the persistent rainfall and high tide are hindering drainage. "Our officers are working hard. But the canals and rivers are full of water and every time water is drained out, more is getting inside the city. We fear that the high tide which is around 1:30 pm today, may not help in our efforts to drain out the excessive water from the city. It would be around 10 pm when the situation could be expected to improve," Hakim said.
The downpours impact was most acute in the southern and eastern parts of Kolkata, with Garia Kamdahari recording 332 mm of rainfall, followed by Jodhpur Park (285 mm), Kalighat (280 mm), Topsia (275 mm), and Ballygunge (264 mm). Thantania in north Kolkata received 195 mm. Buses broke down en route, taxis and app cabs were in short supply or charged inflated fares, and office-goers struggled to reach workplaces amid widespread traffic snarls.
Metro Railway services were suspended between Shahid Khudiram and Maidan stations after significant waterlogging on the Blue Line. "Truncated services are being run between Dakshineswar and Maidan stations," an official said.
Eastern Railway authorities suspended train operations in the Sealdah south section due to waterlogged tracks, and partial disruptions were reported at Howrah, Kolkata terminal stations, and the Circular Railway. The India Meteorological Department warned of continuing heavy rainfall in several south Bengal districts, with a fresh low-pressure area likely to form over the Bay of Bengal by September 25.