Incessant rain pours misery on Kolkata, adjoining areas; waterlogging, traffic snarls disrupt life

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A pedestrian holds an umbrella as she crosses the rain-slicked road amid heavy rainfall in Kolkata | Photo Credit: ANI

Incessant rains induced by a deep depression since early Monday (August 17, 2026) morning heavily affected normal life in Kolkata and its adjoining areas, with waterlogging exacerbating traffic snarls during office hours.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the depression over coastal West Bengal and northwest Bay of Bengal is likely to move towards Jharkhand across Gangetic West Bengal by Tuesday (August 18).

Haldia in Purba Medinipur district recorded the maximum rainfall of 134 mm in 24 hours till 8.30 a.m. on Monday (August 17). The coastal town of Digha received 113 mm of rain, while Diamond Harbour in South 24 Parganas district recorded 112 mm of rainfall during the same period.

Owing to incessant rain since last night (August 16), many thoroughfares in Kolkata and its adjoining Salt Lake and Howrah got waterlogged.

Schoolchildren and office-goers faced difficulties commuting in the morning amid reduced public transport and traffic snarls on the first working day of this week.

The IMD has forecast extremely heavy rainfall in Paschim Medinipur, Jhargram and Bankura districts on Monday (August 17), while very heavy downpour will occur over Purba Medinipur, South 24 Parganas, Purulia, Howrah, Hooghly, Purba and Paschim Bardhaman.

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