The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for parts of West Bengal and warned of widespread rain, thunderstorms and gusty winds as a depression over the Bay of Bengal moves closer to the coast. Kolkata is under a yellow alert, with light to moderate rain and winds of 30-40 kmph expected.
The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Kolkata issued the orange alert for parts of Birbhum and Murshidabad, forecasting moderate thunderstorms, lightning, intense rainfall and gusty winds of 30-40 kmph. It warned that lightning strikes and temporary waterlogging could affect low-lying areas.
A yellow alert has also been issued for Kolkata, West Burdwan, East Burdwan, Bankura, Malda, Nadia, Hooghly, North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas. Residents in these areas have been advised to remain cautious during thunderstorm activity, particularly near open fields, isolated trees and water bodies.
The weather system was located over the west-central and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal on Tuesday morning. According to the IMD, it had moved west-northwestwards at a speed of 17 kmph in the previous six hours and was centred about 220 km southeast of Gopalpur and 220 km south-southeast of Puri in Odisha. It was also about 230 km east-southeast of Kalingapatnam and 320 km east of Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh.
The IMD said the depression was likely to intensify into a deep depression within the next 12 hours and move towards the north Andhra Pradesh-south Odisha coast. It was expected to cross the coast between Visakhapatnam and Gopalpur during Wednesday night and the early hours of Thursday. Its influence is expected to bring rainfall and thunderstorm activity across West Bengal through the week.
An orange alert for heavy rainfall of 7 cm to 11 cm has been issued until Friday for South 24 Parganas, East Midnapore and West Midnapore. Heavy rain warnings are also in place for Jhargram, Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and Kalimpong. Thunderstorm activity is expected to extend across all eight north Bengal districts from mid-week.
For Kolkata, the forecast of rain and gusty winds creates immediate operational concerns for road movement, low-lying neighbourhoods and outdoor activity. The RMC has advised people to seek safe shelter during thunderstorms and avoid exposed locations. The warnings also require caution around temporary structures, trees and areas where water can accumulate, although the alert does not specify particular municipal closures or transport restrictions.
Conditions over the Bay of Bengal are expected to become extremely rough on Wednesday, with winds of 40-65 kmph and gusts reaching up to 75 kmph over the west-central region. The weather department has advised fishermen to return to shore and not venture into the sea until Friday. The alerts and coastal advisories will remain in force as the depression moves inland and the associated weather system continues to affect West Bengal.
