Kolkata, Sep 24 (PTI) Rain lashed Kolkata and other districts of southern West Bengal for the third consecutive day on Sunday, giving a harrowing time to clay artisans who are making idols for the upcoming Durga Puja.

A MeT spokesperson said thunderstorms accompanied by lightning struck different parts of South 24 Parganas, Kolkata, North 24 Parganas, Birbhum, Purba Medinipur, Nadia, Murshidabad, Hooghly, Howrah districts since Sunday morning and similar conditions will prevail for the next one or two days.

Also Read | Delhi Shocker: Four Masked Assailants Rob Jewellery Shop in Pitampura Area, Probe Underway.

Kolkata recorded 39.8 mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours, causing water-logging in parts of the city.

Rain dampened puja shopping spirit at traditional shopping hubs such as Shyambazar and Gariahat saw fewer footfalls, as did various shopping malls.

Also Read | Bihar Horror: Mahadalit Woman Stripped, Assaulted and Urinated Upon in Patna's Outskirts; Accused Absconding.

At Kolkata's artisans' hub Kumartuli and elsewhere, clay-modellers had a trying time in preventing the idols from turning soggy and used heaters to dry the moist earth.

"This is a crucial time. If such rainfall persists, it will be difficult for us to complete the idols before Mahalaya on October 14," said Sanjit Pal, a Kumartuli clay-modeller sculpting idols of at least 15 community pujas.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)