Kolkata, Sep 25 (IANS) Three consecutive days of incessant rain left many villages in southern districts of West Bengal marooned Tuesday, and continued to affect daily life in this metropolis.
According to police sources, nine people have been killed so far due to the rainfall.
Since many low-lying areas in northern, central and south Kolkata were waterlogged, civic authorities had to press boats into service.
Train services virtually collapsed in Howrah and Sealdah divisions as both the car sheds of Eastern Railway at Tikiapara and Lilua went under knee-deep water. A number of trains were also cancelled in Eastern Railway as the route relay interlocking (RRI) system stopped functioning after three days of heavy rain. A few trains were terminated at Howrah and Sealdah railway stations in Kolkata.
Hundreds of mud houses in East Midnapore and South 24-Parganas districts collapsed in the rain. Many trees and electric poles were uprooted in villages and small towns, disrupting power supply in the districts.
The situation in Burdwan, Birbhum and Hooghly districts worsened after the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) released water from the Maithan and Panchet dams. The Damodar and Ajoy rivers are flowing above the danger level.
Meteorological department officials at Alipur said a low-pressure belt, which intensified into a depression over west central Bay of Bengal and caused the heavy rainfall, began moving towards Madhya Pradesh Tuesday.