Kolkata: At least six persons were killed in heavy rains in West Bengal yesterday with normal life thrown out of gear in the metropolis and adjacent districts, even as the weatherman predicted it would continue till midday today.
In West Midnapore district, officials said one person died after a house collapsed, while another two drowned in a river.
In Kolkata, the rains left two persons, Sanjoy Mondal and his son Ashis, dead after a balcony of an old house collapsed on Cotton Street, police sources said.
A woman, Dulai Mohanta, died in a wall collapse at Bhurigram in Burdwan district, district police sources said. Kolkata received the season's highest of 140 mm rainfall, the Met office said.
Reports from the districts also reported widespread rain with Durgapur in Burdwan district reporting 112-114 mm of rain while in Midnapore it was 136 mm.
Purulia district reported 65 mm of rain which affected Bagmundi, Jhalda and Jaypore blocks.
Altogether, 1,334 huts collapsed in the rains in Burdwan district, district disaster management sources said.
Bankura District Magistrate Bijoy Bharati said the rains affected Barjora, Sonamukhi, Patrasayar, and Mejia blocks while the Kangasabati river crossed the danger level.
The DVC said that 30,000 cusecs of water needed for hydel power generation was to be released, but it was reduced to 25000-26000 cusecs after the chief secretary called up and requested that the release be checked.
