Fri Sep 26 00:10:00 UTC 2025: **Summary:**

Following devastating rainfall in Kolkata on September 23, 2025, resulting in multiple deaths from electrocution and widespread flooding, the Calcutta High Court has demanded reports from the West Bengal government, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), and the Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation (CESC). Residents in several areas are still without power and grappling with waterlogged conditions. The Chief Minister has blamed CESC and the central government for the disaster, announcing compensation for the victims’ families. The opposition BJP has criticized the Chief Minister’s reaction and highlighted the ongoing suffering of residents. The High Court is scheduled to reconvene on November 7 to review the submitted reports.

**News Article:**

**Kolkata Flooding Aftermath: High Court Demands Reports as Residents Remain Stranded**

**Kolkata, September 26, 2025** – The Calcutta High Court has intervened in the wake of severe flooding and electrocution deaths following torrential rainfall in Kolkata on Tuesday, September 23. A division bench has directed the West Bengal government, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), and the Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation (CESC) to submit detailed reports on the incident.

The High Court’s action follows numerous complaints regarding the city’s inadequate drainage and the apparent failure of CESC to prevent electrocutions. The court has specifically tasked CESC with investigating the incidents that resulted in fatalities, while the KMC must outline the measures being taken to address the city’s compromised drainage system. The State government is to report on compensation measures for the families of the deceased.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced a ₹2 lakh compensation for the families of the deceased, placing blame squarely on CESC for the electrocution deaths. She has also accused the central government of negligence in dredging the Farakka Barrage, contributing to the widespread flooding.

However, the opposition BJP has criticized the Chief Minister’s response, highlighting a video of her performing a dandia dance at a Durga Puja inauguration amidst the crisis. State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya visited affected areas and condemned the situation, noting further deaths due to suffocation in stagnant water in other municipality areas.

Meanwhile, large swaths of Kolkata remain waterlogged and without power, including areas like Mandeville Garden and Santoshpur. Residents of the Utsav Utsarg Apartment complex have been without electricity for three days, and face further complications with rising water levels hindering restoration efforts.

“We have elderly persons at our home, and KMC cannot restore power unless the waters are pumped out. The caregivers are also unable to come to the aid of the elderly, which has exacerbated our ordeal,” said a resident of Utsav Utsarg Apartment.

The Calcutta High Court is scheduled to review the submitted reports on November 7. The situation remains dire for many Kolkata residents as the city grapples with the aftermath of the devastating rainfall.

Read More