At least seven persons were killed in West Bengal’s Kolkata amid heavy overnight rainfall that has led to waterlogging in several areas on Tuesday, PTI reported.

The city has received 247.4 mm of rainfall since 8.30 am on Monday, the Regional Meteorological Centre in Kolkata said.

Kolkata Mayor and state Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim said that authorities had earlier received information about four deaths due to electrocution in different places in the city.

“But later official tallies placed the figure at seven,” PTI quoted him as saying. Most parts of the city were waterlogged and Kolkata Municipal Corporation workers were working to drain out the water, he added.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged the public to stay indoors for their own safety.

“I have never seen rain like this,” PTI quoted the Trinamool Congress leader as telling a local news channel. “I feel so bad for the people who have lost their lives in the cloudburst. I heard 7–8 people have died due to electrocution by open or unattended wires.”

The chief minister said that their families must be given jobs by the Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation and claimed that it was their duty to ensure the public did not suffer because of this.

The private utility company is owned by the RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group and is the sole distributor of electricity in Kolkata, Howrah and the adjoining areas.

“They will do business here, but not modernise here?” Banerjee said. “They should send people to the field and fix this.”

Banerjee also ordered state government schools to start Durga Puja holidays from Tuesday and urged private schools to remain closed for the next two days, The Indian Express reported.

The rain comes day before the festival starts from September 28.

Several areas reported power outages amid the downpour on Tuesday. Offices in the city also declared work from home. Water entered homes and residential complexes, according to PTI.

Railway services were impacted as the Howrah and Sealdah yards and car sheds were submerged, forcing Eastern Railway to suspend several trains, The Indian Express reported.

Suburban services were restricted, with Sealdah South and Circular Railway lines suspended.

Metro service was also suspended on several stretches.

Videos and images circulating on social media showed submerged roads and parked vehicles in parts of the capital city.

On Monday, the India Meteorological Department said a low-pressure area over the northeast Bay of Bengal will likely bring heavy rainfall in several southern districts of the state on Tuesday.

The weather agency stated that heavy rainfall was very likely in East and West Midnapore, South 24 Parganas, Jhargram and Bankura districts in South Bengal till Wednesday.

“Another fresh low pressure area is likely to form over eastcentral and adjoining north Bay of Bengal around 25th September,” it said. “Moving west-northwestwards, it is very likely to become a depression over northwest and adjoining west central Bay of Bengal off South Odisha- North Andhra Pradesh coasts around 26th September.”

Amid the adverse weather conditions, several airlines on Tuesday issued advisories regarding delays.

“Some routes across Kolkata have been impacted by heavy rain, leading to temporary blocks or diversions,” IndiGo said on social media. “We recommend planning your journey accordingly, and leave with a bit of extra time in hand.”

In another post, the airline said that there was a chance of delays and slower traffic to and from the airport in light of the heavy rainfall and thunderstorms expected over Kolkata.

“Due to bad weather in Kolkata, all departures and arrivals, and their consequential flights may be affected. Passengers are requested to keep a check on their flight status,” read an update from SpiceJet.

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