Depression over Bay of Bengal, orange alert issued in 15 districts

According to the Met Department, the low pressure which was located off the coast of West Bengal and Odisha on Thursday will gradually move west and northwest and cross Jharkhand through land. Fishermen have been prohibited from venturing into the sea.

While the rain and thunderstorms will continue till Monday, its pace and intensity are likely to peak on Friday and Saturday, the weather office said.

Coastal and western districts of West Bengal are more likely to receive rain. Moderate rain is expected in South 24 Parganas, Purba Medinipur, Bankura, Purulia, Paschim Bardhaman on Friday. Heavy rain is likely to take place in Birbhum and Murshidabad districts on Friday. The weather department has issued a warning of heavy rainfall in North Bengal till Saturday.

“Rainfall will intensify in North Bengal on Friday. There are chances of very heavy rain in hilly areas. Heavy to very heavy rain is predicted in Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts. Heavy rain is also likely in Alipurduar, Cooch Behar, Uttar and Dakshin Dinajpur and Malda districts,” a weather official said.

“People are advised to stay in a safe place during thunderstorm activity,” said the official.

As per the weather office, 15 districts will witness thunderstorms with lightning over this weekend. The list of districts where yellow warning has been issued are Nadia, North and South 24 Parganas, Purba Medinipur, Howrah, Kolkata, Hooghly, Purulia, Jhargram, Bankura, Paschim Medinipur, Paschim Bardhaman, Purba Bardhaman and Birbhum,” said the weather office.

This year, the monsoon arrived in Kolkata on June 19.

At present, the monsoon axis extends over Ranchi to the low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal, said a Met Department official.