India, Sept. 23 -- At least five people were electrocuted as large parts of Kolkata were inundated after the heaviest rain, just two mm short of a cloud burst, in 37 years battered the city in the early hours of Tuesday ahead of the Durga Puja, West Bengal's biggest carnival, beginning over the weekend.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said the city received 98 mm of rain in one hour. A hundred mm of rain in one hour is defined as a cloud burst, which is a very localised phenomenon.

The situation prompted chief minister Mamata Banerjee to announce early puja holidays for state-run schools. She directed colleges and universities to hold online classes and advised government officials to work from home for the next two days to a...