Monsoon finally arrives in Kerala after two days delay: Meteorological Department

(PTI) New Delhi, Dt

The arrival of the south-west monsoon in Kerala on Thursday after a two-day delay finally marked the beginning of a four-month monsoon monsoon in the country, the meteorological department said. In Kerala, more than 2.5 mm of rain fell at some places on Thursday. In Kerala, monsoon usually starts from 1st June. The meteorological department had earlier forecast monsoon in the country from May 31. The monsoon has started late for the third time in six years in the country. Earlier, monsoon started late in 2013 and 2014 as well. Heavy to very heavy rains are expected in Kerala in the next two days.

"The south-west monsoon has started in Kerala from Thursday," said Mrityunjar Mohapatra, director general of the meteorological department. The south-west monsoon will now move over the next two days in parts of the South Arabian Sea and Central Arabian Sea, the rest of Kerala, Lakshadweep, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, coastal areas of Karnataka and the southern part as well as the southern and central parts of the Bay of Bengal. The monsoon will hit Kerala on May 30, private meteorological agency Skymet said. However, the meteorological department said that the conditions for announcing monsoon are not seen at present.

The meteorological department said on Thursday that the monsoon was announced in Kerala on the basis of three criteria and the monsoon was announced on Thursday due to the rains in Kerala. According to the meteorological department, monsoon is likely to be normal in North and South India, above normal in Central India and below normal in East and Northeast India. The meteorological department expressed this possibility at the time of its second long-term forecast. At a time when the country's economy is in trouble due to the Koro epidemic, good monsoons in agriculture and related sectors will boost the economy. The meteorological department has forecast more than normal rainfall during monsoon in most parts of the country.

Meanwhile, some parts of Kerala will receive heavy to very heavy rains in the next two days, the meteorological department said in its bulletin on Thursday. In Kerala, 70 per cent of the 12 stations monitored received more than 2.5 mm of rainfall for two consecutive days. Apart from Kerala, Lakshadweep and some parts of Karnataka also received normal rainfall on Thursday. The meteorological department had issued a 'yellow alert' in Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasaragod areas of Kerala.

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Meteorological Department said that pre-monsoon rains are likely in some parts of the state, including Mumbai, in the next three hours. The coasts of Mumbai and Maharashtra are likely to receive normal rainfall by Saturday. Rainfall is expected to vary in different parts of the state as per the current situation.