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The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for very heavy rainfall in parts of North Bengal, warning of a heightened risk of landslides in the hill districts. Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri districts will remain under an orange alert on Sunday and Monday, while rainfall is expected to increase across South Bengal, including Kolkata, from Tuesday.
According to the weather office, the deep depression has moved towards Madhya Pradesh and no longer has a direct impact on West Bengal. However, North Bengal is expected to continue receiving widespread rainfall over the next few days. Heavy rain warnings remain in place for several districts, with the possibility of landslides in hilly areas and waterlogging in low-lying regions.
In South Bengal, light to moderate rain is likely at isolated places on Friday. A yellow alert has been issued for thunderstorms accompanied by light to moderate rainfall in Paschim Bardhaman, Birbhum, Murshidabad, Nadia, North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas. Rainfall activity is expected to remain subdued from Saturday to Monday before increasing again from Tuesday. A yellow alert for heavy rainfall has also been issued for Birbhum and Murshidabad on Tuesday.
For North Bengal, Uttar Dinajpur, Cooch Behar, Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri are under a yellow alert for heavy rain, while Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri will be upgraded to an orange alert on Sunday due to the likelihood of very heavy rainfall. Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Cooch Behar are also expected to receive heavy rain. The weather office has warned that intense rainfall could trigger landslides in the hills, inundate low-lying areas, raise water levels in the Teesta, Torsa and Jaldhaka rivers and affect agricultural activities.
Kolkata is likely to witness only isolated light showers or drizzle from Saturday to Monday. The weather office said rainfall is expected to increase from Tuesday. High humidity is also likely to cause discomfort despite relatively moderate temperatures. The city's minimum temperature on Friday was recorded at 21.1 degrees Celsius.