- By Chetna Shree
- Fri, 29 May 2026 07:06 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
- Heavy rain, storms bring relief to South Bengal heatwave.
- IMD issues red alert for six districts, warns of gusty winds.
- Traffic, flight, and train operations disrupted across Kolkata.
Bengal Weather: Residents across several districts of South Bengal, including Kolkata, received much-needed relief from a scorching heatwave as heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds swept across the region on Friday afternoon.
In view of the adverse weather conditions, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an alert for six districts of South Bengal. These districts are expected to experience heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds reaching speeds of 50 to 60 kmph.
Rain, Thunderstorms Batter Kolkata, South Bengal
- Heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning struck various parts of the city, plunging several areas, including Salt Lake, Dharmatala, Jadavpur, and Barahnagar, into darkness during the day, Jagran.com reported.
- A strong storm uprooted trees across multiple parts of the city, severely disrupting traffic. Traffic was affected in the Maidan area near SSKM Hospital, as well as along Rasbihari Avenue, Rabindra Sarovar, Netaji Nagar, Tollygunge, Harish Mukherjee Road, Ripon Street, Park Street, Mallick Bazar, and AJC Bose Road.
- Heavy rain triggered waterlogging in North and Central Kolkata. Chandni Chowk and Thanthania were flooded.
- A portion of the roof at Kshudiram Metro Station in South Kolkata's Brij area collapsed, causing rainwater to leak into the station premises.
- Inclement weather disrupted flight operations at Kolkata Airport for about an hour.
- Train services on the Bangaon branch were briefly affected after a tree fell on the railway line near Madhyamgram station.
IMD Issues Alert For South Bengal
The Meteorological Department has issued a red alert for Purba Bardhaman, Howrah, Hooghly, East and West Medinipur, and Jhargram. These districts are likely to experience heavy rain, thunderstorms, and gusty winds of 50 to 60 kmph.
While the intensity of rain and thunderstorms is expected to decrease after the weekend, scattered showers will persist from Sunday to Wednesday. This is likely to bring a drop in temperatures by 2 to 3 degrees over the next few days.
Meanwhile, North Bengal has been witnessing heavy rain for the past few weeks. While the intensity of rain has weakened in the hill districts of Darjeeling and Kalimpong, steady downpours continue to lash the region.