kolkata

IIE DIGITAQL DESK ; Kolkata, June 29: The Alipore Meteorological Department has issued a severe weather warning for West Bengal, forecasting widespread heavy to extremely heavy rainfall across both the northern hills and southern plains over the coming days. Continuous rainfall has already worsened the situation in North Bengal, prompting authorities to issue a high alert over the possibility of floods, landslides and major disruptions to normal life. In view of the deteriorating weather conditions, the weather office has placed five districts of North Bengal under a Red Alert.

The Meteorological Department, persistent rainfall is expected to continue across North Bengal for the next several days, with the hill districts and the Dooars region likely to receive extremely heavy showers. Officials have warned that some locations may record more than 200 millimetres of rainfall within 24 hours, significantly increasing the risk of flash floods, landslides and damage to infrastructure.

The situation has become particularly concerning as water levels in rivers originating from Sikkim and Bhutan continue to rise rapidly. The swelling rivers have prompted flood warnings for low-lying areas in the foothills, while fresh landslides remain a major concern in the mountainous regions.

North Bengal has already suffered extensive damage due to continuous rainfall over the past week. Several roads in the hill districts have been blocked following landslides, severely affecting transportation and communication. Kalimpong has virtually become isolated from Siliguri after multiple road links were disrupted. In addition, temporary Bailey bridges constructed to maintain connectivity have also collapsed in several locations, further complicating relief and transport operations.

The Alipore Meteorological Department has stated that there is little possibility of any significant improvement in weather conditions across North Bengal before Wednesday. Heavy rainfall is expected to continue in the five affected districts on Tuesday as well, although the intensity of rainfall is likely to decrease gradually from Wednesday onwards if weather conditions improve.

While North Bengal continues to battle flood-like conditions, South Bengal had until recently been experiencing concerns over a rainfall deficit. However, the Meteorological Department has now forecast an increase in monsoon activity across southern districts during the current week.

The latest forecast, West Midnapore and Jhargram are likely to experience heavy rainfall on Sunday, while the coastal districts of South 24 Parganas and Purba Medinipur may receive intense showers on Friday as the monsoon system strengthens over the Bay of Bengal.

Kolkata and its adjoining areas are also expected to witness a significant change in weather by the end of the week. The weather office has predicted heavy rainfall in Kolkata and six other districts of South Bengal on Saturday. Although the expected showers may bring down temperatures slightly, residents are unlikely to get immediate relief from the uncomfortable humidity because moisture levels in the atmosphere are expected to remain exceptionally high.

The Meteorological Department has advised residents across the state to remain alert during the period of severe weather. People have been urged to avoid unnecessary travel during heavy rainfall, stay away from landslide-prone and flood-affected areas, and seek safe shelter whenever thunderstorms or lightning activity develop. Authorities are closely monitoring the evolving weather situation as heavy rainfall continues to pose a serious threat to both the hills and the plains of West Bengal.