Kolkata: Rain brings much-needed relief to city

Kolkata/UNI: After days of scorching heat and humidity, the city and the rest of south Bengal woke up to blinding rain and a dark sky early this morning.

The skies have been so dark since morning that drivers resorted to using headlights in the day time.

Regional Meteorological Centre in Alipore has forecast a 48-hour rain across the state triggered by depression over the Ganges.

So far this monsoon, we have had just one weak low-pressure that didnt trigger adequate rain. This is the first one to form over Bay of Bengal and is likely to be a stronger one. We expect light tomoderate showers across Kolkata, South and North 24 Parganas, Howrah, Hoogly, East and West Burdwan and Nadia on Tuesday under its impact. On Wednesday, the showers could strike the western districts of Bankura, Purulia and Birbhum, said RMC Director GK Das.

He said the system could move towards Chattisgarh on Thursday and cease to have an impact on Bengal.

The city had been largely dry since last week with the mercury hovering around 34C-35C. Kolkata, in fact, recorded the highest temperature of the year after the onset of monsoon. Even as the monsoon trough moved north, the northern districts received heavy showers.