PHOTOS: It's water, water everywhere in Kolkata

Heavy overnight rains lashed Kolkata leading to water-logging in many parts and slow traffic movement. A heavy rainfall of 144 mm was recorded in the last 24 hours in the city, Regional Meteorological Centre Director G C Debnath told PTI.

But from Friday the rains will weaken and Saturday onwards it will start decreasing further, he said.

The worst affected areas include Behala, Jadavpur, Belgachia, Rajarhat, Alipore body guard lines, Rashbehari Avenue, Thanthania, Golf Green, Tiljala, C R Avenue and College Street.

Traffic moved at a snail's pace adding to the woes of the office-goers as roads were flooded with ankle-deep water. Many schools declared the day as holiday and those which remained open recorded thin attendance.

Kolkata Municipal Corporation's Member of Mayor-in-Council Tarak (Sewerage & Drainage) said rainwater is being pumped out with the help of 340 pumps at 73 pumping stations in various parts of the city.

"Besides this we are also using another 450 portable pumps to flush out all rainwater from the streets," he said. "We (KMC) are also using another 450 portable pumps to flush out all rainwater from the streets," Singh said.

At Sealdah and Howrah stations, local trains were delayed while a few got cancelled due to water-logging on tracks, Railway officials said.

Later, after rains stopped and water receded, train services were normalised, they said

According to reports from Barrackpore in adjoining North 24 Parganas district, heavy water-logging was reported from many areas in Panihati, Kamarhati, New Barrackpore and North Dum Dum.

Officials said around 1,000 people were shifted from low-lying areas as their houses were inundated with rainwater.

A six-month-old baby boy, who was sleeping with his family on a footpath, died after being washed away by rainwater in the city.

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