E-Paper
IMD issues orange rain alert for south Bengal
Kolkata and its adjoining areas are also expected to receive heavy rain due to low pressure that has developed over the Bay of Bengal
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange rain alert for the weekend in south Bengal districts on Saturday.
Rain has already hit Kolkata.
According to the forecast some of the districts in south Bengal could receive very heavy rain on Saturday. Kolkata and its adjoining areas are also expected to receive heavy rain.
On Sunday, heavy rain is also expected to lash the districts of Purlia, Bakura, Jhargram and Burdwan.
“A low pressure has developed over the Bay of Bengal and it has intensified into a well-marked low pressure area. It is located near the Odisha and West Bengal coast and this would trigger rain over the weekend,” said a senior official of the regional meteorological centre in Kolkata.
Fishermen have been warned not to venture into the sea as winds with speed reaching up to 45 km per hour may be blowing over Bay of Bengal. The district administrations have been alerted to restrict beach activities.
The colour red is used to denote the highest level of warning in the IMD’s four-stage colour-coded weather warning system. Orange comes next and denotes administration to stay alert.
On May 20, West Bengal was hit by cyclone Amphan with wind speed gusting up to 185 km per hour. The cyclone killed 98 people and left a trail of destruction.
