Record Rains Disrupt Kolkata Flights

Dhaka: Kolkata was battered by relentless heavy rains on Tuesday (Sep 23), disrupting flight operations and bringing the city to a near standstill.

More than 90 flights were cancelled and over 90 delayed at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport by evening, as waterlogging crippled daily life across the metropolis.

According to the Airport Operations Control Centre (AOCC), between midnight and 7:30 pm, 42 incoming and 49 outgoing flights were cancelled due to persistent downpours, low visibility, and adverse weather conditions affecting both Kolkata and outstation destinations.

Additionally, 33 arrivals and 62 departures faced delays, while at least one flight was diverted.

The severe aviation disruption reflected broader chaos across Kolkata, where record rainfall caused extensive flooding. Officials reported at least ten fatalities, nine due to electrocution.

Key arterial roads remained blocked by stranded vehicles, and Metro services were suspended on waterlogged sections of the Blue Line. Thousands of residents struggled through waist-deep water in numerous neighborhoods.

The southern and eastern parts of the city suffered the most, with Garia recording 332 mm of rain within hours and Jodhpur Park 285 mm, according to Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) sources.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued warnings of continued heavy rainfall in southern and eastern West Bengal over the next 24 hours, attributing the conditions to a low-pressure system over the northeast Bay of Bengal.

-B

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