Depression causes heavy rain in south Bengal

Heavy rain accompanied by gusty wind battered the southern districts of West Bengal since early today, as the Met department forecast more downpour and high wind till tomorrow.

Incessant rain and squally wind affected normal life in the metropolis on the first working day of the week.

Waterlogging and uprooted trees blocked some thoroughfares of the city, delaying the morning rush hour traffic.

Many schools reopened today after the Durga Puja vacation and students were inconvenienced due to the heavy rain.

Some schools declared a holiday owing to the inclement weather.

"A depression has formed over Gangetic West Bengal and adjoining north Bay of Bengal and lay centred about 50 km southeast of Kolkata at 5.30 am today," the Met department said.

The system is very likely to move initially west-northwestwards and intensify into a deep depression during the next 24 hours, it said.

Under its influence, rainfall will occur at most places over Gangetic West Bengal, north Odisha and east Jharkhand, with heavy to very heavy precipitation at isolated places in these areas, the Met department said in its forecast till Wednesday morning.

Squally wind reaching a speed of 45 to 55 km per hour, gusting to 65 km per hour would prevail along and off north Odisha and West Bengal coasts, it said.

Strong wind speed reaching 30 to 40 km per hour gusting to 50 km per hour would prevail over the interior parts of Gangetic West Bengal.

Sea condition would be rough in north Odisha and West Bengal till tomorrow.

Fishermen have been advised not to venture into sea during the period.

Train services in all the sections of Eastern Railway are normal till 11.00 am except for slight delay in the running of some EMU locals owing to the weather condition, ER spokesman R N Mahapatra said.

"All trains of South Eastern Railway are running as per schedule and there is no disruption so far," SER spokesman Sanjoy Ghosh said.