Heavy rains lashed Kolkata and neighbouring districts since the early hours of Monday, marring normal life out of gear on the first working day of the week. The Metrological department forecast more downpours for at least another day. Over 100 mm rain was recorded at different places in the city from 1 am to 7 am, submerging many important thoroughfares and low-lying areas under knee-deep water.

Regional Metrological director GK Das said, "Due to movement of cyclonic circulation from north-west Bay of Bengal to Gangetic West Bengal and strong moisture incursion, heavy rainfall is occurring over Kolkata and adjoining North and South 24 Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly and Purba Medinipur." The drainage pumping stations of Kolkata Municipal Corporation recorded 136 mm rain at Dhapa, 115 mm at Kalighat and 109 mm at Ballygunge, he added.

The Met department has forecast more heavy rain or thunderstorms till Tuesday morning in most districts of south Bengal, including in Kolkata.As per the Met department figures for 24 hours till 8.30 am on Monday, Kolkata received the highest rainfall in West Bengal at 142 mm.The other locations which recorded heavy precipitation during the 24-hr period are Canning (113 mm) in South 24 Parganas, Salt Lake (112.8 mm) and Dum Dum (95 mm) in the northern outskirts of Kolkata, as per the Met department data. People trying to go to work had a tough time getting public transport as the strength of public buses and taxis was much depleted owing to the torrential rains.

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