ANKARA

At least nine people have died and air travel and rail services disrupted after heavy rains battered the eastern Indian state of West Bengal, officials said Tuesday.

The fatalities occurred in Kolkata, the state capital, and surrounding suburban areas, due to electrocution and drowning caused by severe waterlogging, public broadcaster All India Radio reported.

“As per the latest reports, many parts of Kolkata and adjoining districts are still underwater, with more rainfall forecast in the coming hours,” the report said.

The India Meteorological Department said on Tuesday that Kolkata has recorded extremely heavy rainfall measuring 251 millimeters (9.8 inches) within just 24 hours.

The torrential rains have also severely impacted air travel with the Kolkata International Airport witnessing around 70 flights being disrupted, according to officials. Several local trains have also been cancelled due to the situation.

Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim described the downpour in Kolkata last night, which caused waterlogging in several parts of the city, as “abnormal rainfall.”

“All emergency services are on high alert. … Kolkata Municipal Corporation is working tirelessly on the ground to restore normalcy at the earliest,” he said through the US social media company X.

This year’s monsoon season, which typically spans June to September, has caused widespread devastation across several Indian states, particularly in the north. Flash floods, landslides, and cloudbursts triggered by heavy rains have killed over 500 people in northern India alone.