New Delhi: Rain lashed several parts of southern West Bengal, including Kolkata, on Sunday. The rain has acted as a spoilsport and dampened the festive spirit on Saptami or the first of the four-day Durga Puja festivities. The celebrations are taking place on a full scale after a gap of two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The rain may also affect the remaining three days of the festivities. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted moderate to heavy showers across south Bengal over the next 72 hours, as reported by the news agency PTI.
The IMD predicted moderate rainfall in most parts of south Bengal, and heavy showers in one or two places in Purba and Paschim Medinipur, South and North 24 Parganas and Birbhum districts during the period.
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"A cyclonic circulation lies over the northeastern Bay of Bengal and extends up to 5.8 km above sea level. This system is likely to be active for the next three days and trigger rainfall intermittently across south Bengal," an IMD spokesperson said, as reported by the news agency PTI.
According to the IMD, the weather in the city will generally be cloudy with few spells of light to moderate rain which can bring some relief for residents of Kolkata.
Kolkata recorded 31 mm of rain on Saturday. Some pockets experienced a downpour and other parts remained dry. Areas in the north and central Kolkata experienced the showers, while there was scanty rainfall in the south. Sunday's rain figure was being collated, PTI reported.
"People are visiting us in droves despite the rain. We will pray to the Mother Goddess so that the situation does not worsen," Soumen Dutta, PTI quoted spokesperson of Kashi Bose Lane puja committee as saying.
(With PTI Inputs)