Kolkata: Flights Diverted, Trains Delayed As Heavy Rains Hit West Bengal

Kolkata and parts of southern West Bengal were hit by heavy rainfall on Monday, bringing relief from scorching temperatures but causing chaos in transportation.

The severe weather led to delays in train schedules, particularly affecting the Sealdah-Canning line of Eastern Railway’s Sealdah division. Suburban train services were disrupted for over an hour due to debris falling on overhead wires during the thunderstorm, as reported by The Financial Express.

Additionally, disruptions hit local train services when hoardings and banners fell on overhead wires in Jadavpur and Sonarpur.

Over 3,000 flyers faced delays on Monday due to the thunderstorm. Flights, both incoming and departing, were affected, with some held up in the air and others grounded, as reported by TOI.

Among the impacted flights was a chartered one carrying the KKR team, which had to be diverted to Guwahati. Eight flights were redirected due to the bad weather, causing a suspension of operations at Kolkata airport between 7 pm and 9 pm. The KKR team, returning from Lucknow, was scheduled to land at 7.30 pm but faced strong cross-winds, leading to a diversion to Guwahati until the weather cleared.

During the same period, seven more flights were diverted, two to Guwahati and five to Bengaluru. An international flight from Dhaka had to turn back as it couldn’t land in Kolkata. Additionally, nearly a dozen departing flights were delayed, with two planes returning to the parking bay after taxiing.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued an ‘orange’ alert for moderate rain, thunderstorms, and gusty winds in several districts, including North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Hooghly, and East Burdwan.

IMD forecasts predict thunderstorms in West Bengal until May 10, attributing the weather patterns to a cyclonic circulation over south Jharkhand and moisture incursion from the Bay of Bengal. The recent heavy rain and thunderstorms have brought relief from the scorching temperatures that soared to a 50-year high of 43 degrees Celsius in Kolkata on April 30.