Moderate to heavy thunder showers lashing Kolkata since last evening is expected to continue for the next 48 hours and decrease in intensity thereafter.
The city has been mushy since last week's four-day drencher and heavy rainfall, which damaged roads and led to traffic snarls. Commuters had to bear the brunt of nature's fury.
Today morning rain caused havoc, drains were overflowing, roads were filled with water and several low lying areas were reported to be water-logged, leaving commuters stranded for hours.The heavy showers and winds uprooted scores of trees which added to the woes of the commuters.
A 12-km tall monstrous cloud, stretching across the length and breadth, cloaked the city last afternoon. Up and down wind movements played along with a sudden infiltration of moisture from the Bay of Bengal and led to the development of the cloud. The cloud kept swelling under the influence of a cyclonic circulation and continuous friction led to lightning that killed four people.
Formation of low pressure area over northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining West Bengal and Orissa coast are likely to intensify further and move in a west southwest direction. Thereafter, the upper air cyclonic circulation over this area will extend up to the mid tropospheric level.
A very thick mass of cloud can be observed over North Bay, West Bengal and north Orissa region. Very strong winds blowing here will bring moderate to heavy rainfall in the Gangetic West Bengal, adjoining Jharkhand and gradually cover entire Orissa and Chhattisgarh.