Heavy rainfall since midnight inundated roads, homes and rail tracks, crippling traffic and forcing the West Bengal government to declare a two-day holiday for schools and colleges. Water rose to knee- and waist-level at key intersections such as Park Circus, Gariahat, Behala and College Street, leaving vehicles stranded for hours. Long snarls choked the EM Bypass and AJC Bose Road as buses broke down and taxis stayed off the streets. Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim confirmed the deaths and warned that high tide could delay drainage efforts. The India Meteorological Department warned of more heavy rain across south Bengal, with some neighbourhoods already recording over 300 mm in a few hours.