India's Data Centres Face Severe Climate Change Risks By 2050 AS Per Report
Kolkata witnessed a relentless deluge as the Jodhpur Park area recorded over 290mm of rain between midnight Monday and Tuesday afternoon—an entire month’s rainfall compressed into just 12 hours. This unprecedented volume overwhelmed the city’s drainage systems, causing extensive waterlogging across south and central Kolkata.
According to the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, Jodhpur Park experienced dual spells of intense rainfall—one on Monday and a fresh wave early Tuesday—leaving roads submerged and water bodies breaching their banks. Longtime residents said even roads that had remained dry for years were flooded, including areas near Jodhpur Park post office and the Anwar Shah Road Connector, where water reached knee-deep levels by Tuesday evening.
Drainage canals across the city, already filled to capacity, failed to handle the downpour. Kolkata’s system is built to manage 6mm of rain per hour uniformly, but with rainfall heavily concentrated in specific areas, the infrastructure proved insufficient. The situation was further aggravated by the high tide in the Hooghly River, which forced the closure of sluice gates for four hours, delaying water drainage and worsening flooding.
Rainfall reports from other parts of the city confirmed the severity: Maniktala received 102mm, Palmer Bridge 103mm, and Ballygunge 82mm by afternoon. Arterial roads including Park Street, Camac Street, SN Banerjee Road, and BB Ganguly Street were inundated, with drainage operations stretching into late evening.
The KMC deployed around 400 high-power pumps across 85 stations and additional smaller units in localities most affected by flooding. Despite these efforts, the city’s fragile infrastructure struggled to cope, raising serious concerns about future resilience as extreme weather events become increasingly frequent.
