KOLKATA: The Met department on Monday forecast torrential rain owing to the formation of a fresh low-pressure area over West Bengal and adjoining north Odisha.
South Bengal is already experiencing heavy downpour since Sunday night as a result of a similar weather system formed over north Telangana.
The Met department warned of a rise in the water level of rivers, waterlogging in low-lying areas, and landslides in the hill districts of Darjeeling and Kalimpong.
Standing crops, with paddy almost ready for harvesting in several districts of the rice-growing state, may also suffer damage, it said.
The weatherman said that strong southeasterly wind blowing from the Bay of Bengal is causing enhanced rainfall in several southern districts of West Bengal, including Kolkata, even though the monsoon has officially receded from most parts of the state.
“A low-pressure area has formed over West Bengal and adjoining north Odisha,” the weatherman said in a special bulletin.
Heavy to very heavy showers are expected in Kolkata, North and South 24 Parganas, Howrah, Jhargram, Purba, and Pashchim Medinipur districts till Tuesday morning and heavy rain thereafter till Wednesday, it said.
Other districts of south Bengal are also likely to receive light to moderate rainfall.
The north Bengal districts are likely to receive heavy rain from Tuesday, it said, adding that the sub-Himalayan districts of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Coochbehar, and Alipurduar are very likely to receive heavier downpour.
Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea till Tuesday.
The seaside resort town of Digha in Purba Medinipur district received 117 mm of rain in 24 hours till 8.30 am on Monday, while the river port town of Canning in South 24 Parganas recorded 108 mm rainfall, the weather office said.
Kolkata received 22 mm rain, while Dum Dum in the northern outskirts of the city recorded 53 mm rainfall during the same period, it said.