Heavy rain batters south Bengal, man electrocuted in Kolkata

As heavy overnight rain caused by a low-pressure system over Bangladesh and West Bengal affected normal life in Kolkata and other south Bengal districts on Thursday, inundating low-lying areas. An elderly man got electrocuted to death in Kolkata’s Jorabagan area while three were injured in Alipore.

Officials identified the victim as Darpanarayan Tagore Street resident Kashinath Jyoti. He died while trying to lower the shutters of a shop. Sources said two lawyers and a worker were injured on the Alipore court premises after they too got electrocuted. At about 6.45 pm, a cornice on the top floor of a three-storied empty residential building in the Amherst Street area collapsed and fell on a car parked under the building. No one was injured. About fifteen minutes later, a portion of a wall on the top floor of a three-storied dilapidated and empty building at 43 Balaram Majumder Street collapsed. There were no injuries.

The Met Department has forecast more downpour in Kolkata till Friday morning, and issued an orange alert for Kolkata, Bankura, Purulia, Purba and Paschim Bardhaman, and Hooghly. A red alert has been issued in the districts of Howrah, North and South 24 Parganas, Purba and Paschim Medinipur, and Jhargram. The Met Department said heavy rainfall would continue in North and South 24 Parganas, Bankura, Purulia, Paschim Bardhaman, and Paschim Medinipur till Saturday morning. Residents of Kolkata woke up to waterlogging of thoroughfares and inundated low-lying areas.