Kolkata remains waterlogged, more rain forecast

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Kolkata, June 18 (IANS) Kolakta on Friday was still severely waterlogged, even as the MeT Department forecast more rainfall to follow and people splashed through knee- and waist-deep water through city streets.

Several parts of Kolkata and most of the South Bengal districts were still inundated by the incessant rains for the last 48 hours.

Due to high tide and the rising water level in the Hoogly river, Kolkata Police had to close several roads making life miserable for the people of the city.

Though there was less rainfall on Thursday compared to that on Wednesday, the Regional Meteorological Department headquartered here predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall in the next 48 hours till Sunday, forcing the police and the administration to flag yellow alerts for the people of the city.

Adding woe to the situation the Damodar Valley Corporation started releasing water posing threat that several districts like Howrah, Hooghly, East and West Midnapore might get flooded.

"Though on Thursday there has been 48 mm rainfall in the city, that took the total volume of rainfall in the last two days to 217 mm, which is really high for the city.

"More importantly the city along with several parts of South Bengal, including districts like South and North 24 Parganas, East and West Midnapore, Hooghly and Howrah are likely to expect heavy to very heavy rainfall for the next couple of days. This will lead to inundation in several parts," a MeT official said.

The weather department said the situation was likely to improve from Sunday onwards.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who has been monitoring the situation closely said: "We don't have any hands over the weather. West Bengal is like a basin and so the water from the upper region comes and settles here but we have no alternative.

"In addition to this there is high tide and we had to close all the lock-gates. Naturally the water cannot drain out naturally and we will have to pump the water out which is time consuming.

"Several parts of the low-lying areas of South and Central Kolkata are under water. We will have to wait till the rain stops."

Former Mayor and present chairperson of the board of administrators, Firhad Hakim, has been on the roads for the last two days giving instructions to the police and the KMC officials so that the water can be cleared from the roads.

Kolkata Police have closed several roads and diverted traffic in order to avoid any kind of accident.

"We are opening the manholes because only pumps will not help in areas where the density of water is high. Naturally we cannot allow traffic on those roads because it might lead to accidents," a senior police officer said.

Though police and the KMC are putting all their efforts to clear the water, several areas in South Kolkata particularly Behala, Jadavpur, Thanthania, Amherst Street, Lake Gardens, Jodhpur Park are under knee-deep water.

Water has entered into the houses and shops forcing people to come out of their houses and take shelter in high areas.

Vehicle movement is restricted and so people have to walk all their way through.

"It is really difficult. I cannot take out my vehicle. I have to walk four kilometres with the shoes and bag in my hand before I can manage something so that I can go to my office," Soumen Banerrjee, a resident of Behala said.

--IANS

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