Normal life was thrown out of gear on Monday as heavy rain and gusty winds lashed large parts of south Bengal due to the formation of a deep depression, which the weatherman warned might lead to more intense rain in the next two days.
Kolkata had recorded 69.4 mm of rain over nine hours till 5.30 pm, a Meteorological Department official said.
Heavy to very heavy rain ranged from 7 cm to 20 cm, while extremely heavy rain measured above 20 cm, the MeT department explained.
The heavy rain disrupted normal life in several parts of south Bengal, including Kolkata, where flight and train services and road transportation were affected.
At least 95 flights from the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport were either cancelled or rescheduled.
Thirteen flights were cancelled and 82 were rescheduled, a senior Airports Authority of India official said.
Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea till Wednesday morning, the MeT department said.
Strong wind speeds reaching 30-40 km per hour, and gusting to 50 km per hour, would prevail over the interior parts of Gangetic West Bengal, it added.
The 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, affecting the movement of vehicles.
Students of many schools, which reopened on Monday after the Durga Puja vacation, were inconvenienced due to the downpour, while some schools declared a holiday in view of the rain that had started late on Sunday night.
Ankle-deep water in many parts of the city also led to traffic jams, the police said.
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