Kolkata limped back to normal this morning after a deep depression, which caused havoc in the city and its neighbourhood, drifted away to lay centered 50 km east of Bankura.

Heavy to very heavy rains have been forecast in the city and the entire Gangetic belt for the next 24 hours, the weatherman said.

According to the Regional Meteorological Centre, the city registered a record 171.4 mm rainfall till 5.30 a.m. since Thursday night.

Fishermen were advised not to venture into the sea, which could remain rough while the coastal belt is likely to be swept by 40-50 km per hour of gusty winds.

Three persons were electrocuted in the city and the adjoining South 24 Parganas district yesterday while 33 fishing trawlers with 551 fishermen went missing in the Bay of Bengal ever since heavy rains lashed West Bengal yesterday, officials sources said.

With rescue efforts from a Coastguard ship and a Dornier aircraft, some of the trawlers have now been detected and the fishermen have also returned safely, they said.

Officials said the fishermen are believed to have taken shelter in different creeks in the Sunderbans core area for fear of being drifted away into the high sea.

The Chief Minister, Ms Mamata Banerjee, has postponed her visit to New Delhi today where she was supposed to meet the Union Finance Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee. Depending on the situation in the state, she is likely to go on Monday.

She has asked the state disaster management cell to keep vigil on the situation and send relief to the victims. A control room has been set up at the state secretariat to monitor the situation, officials said.

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