Heavy Rains Inundate Kolkata As Tropical System Impacts West Bengal, Key Travel Tips For Durga Puja Visitors To Be Aware Of

Published on September 24, 2025

Kolkata, nan taste bosom of India, is presently grappling pinch unprecedented rainfall, arsenic a tropical disturbance has brought dense downpours that person flooded parts of nan city. The rainfall, which started precocious connected September 22, 2025, into nan early hours of nan 23rd, has been peculiarly severe, resulting successful important disruptions. Though this aggravated upwind arena has impacted nan city, it comes conscionable up of 1 of Kolkata’s astir awaited festivals—Durga Puja. Travelers and visitors readying to sojourn during this clip should enactment informed astir nan upwind and travel these recreation tips to make their sojourn memorable contempt nan challenges.

Kolkata Faces Unusual Rainfall: What’s Happening?

On September 23, Kolkata’s Alipore observatory recorded a staggering 247.4 mm of rain, making it 1 of nan highest rainfall events for nan period of September. While Kolkata is nary alien to rain, this level of downpour is uncommon for nan season. As nan tropical disturbance, known arsenic low-pressure area 98B, moved crossed nan Bay of Bengal, it intensified, bringing rains to Kolkata, North Odisha, and parts of Bangladesh. Despite nary cyclone being involved, this upwind strategy has created an different upwind shape for nan region.

The business took a tragic move pinch reports indicating that astatine slightest 7 group mislaid their lives owed to electrocution amid nan flooding. The streets of Kolkata were submerged nether respective feet of water, causing terrible disruption to regular life. Public carrier services were halted, and group were forced to wade done knee-deep water.

Why Is It Raining So Heavily?

The ongoing rainfall is linked to a tropical disturbance that formed complete nan northeast Bay of Bengal and gradually moved towards nan northwest. As it made landfall successful Bangladesh, it still influenced Gangetic West Bengal, including Kolkata. Experts propose that this is not a cyclone but a beardown convective thunderstorm connected to nan outer set of a low-pressure system. The predominant and aggravated rains from this strategy person caused important flooding successful nan city.

While rainfall patterns are changing globally, semipermanent studies show a displacement successful nan strength of rainfall. Instead of steady, prolonged rain, progressively convulsive and short bursts of rainfall are becoming nan norm. This has led to much utmost upwind events, specified arsenic nan 1 presently affecting Kolkata.

The Upcoming Weather: More to Expect?

Though nan business is expected to amended successful nan coming days, different low-pressure strategy is apt to shape complete nan Bay of Bengal astir September 25. It will intensify into a slump by September 26, bringing much rainfall and squally weather, which could impact Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and moreover parts of West Bengal. Authorities person advised fishermen to enactment distant from nan oversea arsenic unsmooth conditions are predicted complete nan adjacent fewer days.

For travelers readying to sojourn Kolkata for Durga Puja celebrations, this adds a furniture of complexity to their recreation plans.

Durga Puja successful Kolkata: Celebrating Amidst Challenges

Durga Puja, nan largest and astir anticipated show successful Kolkata, is group to statesman soon, and contempt nan challenging weather, nan celebrations are expected to spell on. This is nan clip erstwhile nan metropolis transforms into a vibrant operation of tradition, culture, and belief fervor. From nan elaborate decorations of nan puja pandals (temporary shrines) to nan exhilarating processions, Durga Puja offers visitors a unsocial taste experience.

However, visitors must beryllium prepared for imaginable delays and inconveniences owed to nan weather. Flooded streets and waterlogged areas whitethorn make commuting difficult, particularly successful low-lying regions. Here are immoderate adjuvant tips for visitors visiting Kolkata during this time.

Travel Tips for Tourists During Durga Puja successful Kolkata

1. Plan Your Transportation successful Advance:
   With nan dense rains and waterlogged streets, getting astir Kolkata tin beryllium tricky. It’s advisable to scheme your proscription successful advance. While taxis and auto-rickshaws are commonly available, ever cheque nan way position beforehand to debar roadblocks and delays. Kolkata’s metro strategy is mostly unaffected by rain, truthful this tin beryllium a faster and much reliable option.
2. Carry Appropriate Footwear and Gear:
   The metropolis is apt to stay flooded successful respective places, truthful waterproof footwear for illustration rubber boots tin beryllium a lifesaver. It’s besides a bully thought to transportation an umbrella aliases raincoat to protect yourself from nan dense downpours.
3. Stay Updated pinch Weather Forecasts:
   Given nan unpredictable quality of nan existent upwind system, it is basal to enactment updated pinch real-time upwind forecasts and immoderate recreation advisories issued by section authorities. This will thief successful avoiding immoderate areas prone to flooding.
4. Keep an Eye connected Local News for Flooding Updates:
   Local news stations and apps will supply important updates astir nan areas that are much prone to waterlogging. This will let visitors to scheme their activities astir nan rainfall and debar problematic zones.
5. Plan Pandal Visits Carefully:
   The pandals, wherever Durga Puja is celebrated, are dispersed crossed nan city. Some of nan astir celebrated ones are located successful South Kolkata, for illustration successful areas specified arsenic Kumartuli and Ballygunge, while North Kolkata has its ain stock of awesome pandals. If you’re visiting these locations, cheque if nan area is accessible and debar areas pinch dense flooding.
6. Ensure Safety During Night Travel:
   Night recreation tin beryllium hazardous, particularly successful dense rain, truthful it’s champion to debar venturing retired excessively late. Additionally, galore roads whitethorn beryllium poorly lit aliases submerged nether water, expanding nan consequence of accidents.

What’s Next for Kolkata?

Though nan dense rainfall has been disruptive, nan upwind should gradually amended aft nan 23rd, pinch squally upwind conditions expected to subside. However, nan statement of a caller low-pressure strategy complete nan Bay of Bengal connected September 25 whitethorn origin intermittent showers done nan adjacent fewer days. For tourists, nan upwind should not overshadow nan joyousness of Durga Puja festivities, but it’s basal to stay cautious and elastic pinch recreation plans.

Kolkata is expected to witnesser calmer upwind conditions by nan weekend, which will let visitors to afloat bask nan grandeur of Durga Puja celebrations. With a small preparation, visitors tin still make nan astir of their travel and acquisition nan unthinkable taste charm of nan city, rainfall aliases shine.