Deep Depression Triggers Torrential Rain in Bengal, Durga Puja Festivities Hit
IMD warns of heavy downpours across districts as the Bay of Bengal system intensifies.
A deep depression brewing over the northwest Bay of Bengal is poised to unleash heavy to very heavy rainfall across multiple districts in West Bengal until Sunday morning, casting a pall over the culminating Bijoya Dashami festivities of Durga Puja. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasts the system, currently intensifying near the Andhra Pradesh-Odisha coast, to make landfall between Gopalpur and Paradip late Thursday night.
This cyclonic development, fuelled by warm sea temperatures and low pressure, has already prompted showers throughout the day, disrupting the vibrant Dussehra processions and idol immersions that mark the festival's joyous finale in Kolkata and southern districts.
Thursday's overcast skies and intermittent intense downpours have subdued the usual exuberance of revellers, with temporary waterlogging reported in low-lying areas of the capital. The IMD predicts heavy to very heavy rain—measuring 7-20 cm—at isolated spots in the South 24 Parganas, Purba and Paschim Medinipur, and Jhargram districts through Friday. Heavy showers of 7-11 cm are expected in Kolkata and Howrah, while North 24 Parganas, Bankura, Hooghly, Purba and Paschim Bardhaman, and Purulia may see similar bursts until October 3 morning.
Coastal regions have borne the brunt already, with Digha recording a state-high 102 mm in the past 24 hours till 8:30 a.m., followed by Sagar Island (90 mm), Kontai (70 mm), and Basirhat (70 mm). Such precipitation risks localised flooding, particularly in urban pockets and agricultural lowlands recovering from the monsoon.
The depression's northward trajectory will extend its influence into the sub-Himalayan north Bengal districts from Friday to Sunday, bringing heavy to very heavy downpours to Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri, and Cooch Behar. Southern districts like Birbhum face intense spells on Friday, alongside renewed heavy rain in Purba and Paschim Medinipur, Purulia, South 24 Parganas, Murshidabad, Paschim Bardhaman, and Bankura.
Squally winds of 45-55 kmph, gusting to 65 kmph, are anticipated along and off the West Bengal coast, leading the IMD to advise fishermen against venturing into the sea until Friday. For Kolkata specifically, light to moderate rain with occasional intense bursts is likely till Friday morning, exacerbating traffic snarls and immersion delays.
Also Read: Red Alert In Rajasthan: Heavy Rains Lash, Two Dead Many Injured in Jaipur
As West Bengal navigates this untimely weather intrusion during a peak cultural season, authorities have ramped up drainage measures and alert systems. The depression, part of the Bay of Bengal's active post-monsoon pattern, underscores the region's vulnerability to such systems, which often blend relief for parched reservoirs with challenges for festivals and daily life.
Puja committees and civic bodies are adapting with indoor alternatives, ensuring the spirit of victory—embodied by Dussehra's triumph of good over evil—persists amid the rains.
Also Read: Andhra Pradesh Gears Up for Heavy Rains as Deep Depression Nears Coast
