IMD weather update: Heavy rains predicted in this state till October 5 with flood possibility

A low-pressure area over Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh is likely to cause heavy rains in several districts of West Bengal till October 5, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Monday.

Light to moderate rain with thunder is very likely to occur at most places over the state, it said.

Heavy rain is likely in the coastal districts of South 24 Parganas and Purba Medinipur till October 4, besides Purulia, Bankura, Paschim Bardhaman, Paschim Medinipur, Jhargram, Birbhum and Murshidabad districts, the IMD said.

Heavy rain is also likely in Paschim Bardhaman, Birbhum and Murshidabad districts on October 5, it said.

The West Bengal government on Monday said that there is a high possibility of flood in seven districts of the state due to continued incessant rainfall in the upper catchment areas of neighbouring Jharkhand.

Chief Secretary H K Dwivedi on Monday afternoon held an urgent virtual meeting with senior officials of the districts of Paschim Bardhaman, Bankura, Birbhum, Purba Bardhaman, Paschim Medinipur, Hooghly and Howrah and directed them to immediately take all forms of precautionary measures.

"The district administrations were also asked to inform Nabanna (state secretariat) if any area receives unusually higher rainfall, as the water release would need to take into account the precipitation in the lower reaches also," the statement said.

The weather office warned of heavy to very heavy rain in the northern districts of Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar, and heavy rain in the other sub-Himalayan districts.

In the last 24 hours, Kolkata received the highest rainfall in the state at 40.6 mm, followed by 36 mm rain in Sriniketan, it said.