The Indian Meteorological Department on Thursday said Southwest monsoon has set in over Kerala and it has advanced into most parts of Northeast India. Monsoon has onset in Kerala a day ahead of the date projected by the weather agency.
Heavy rains lashed various parts of Kerala on Wednesday and several low-lying areas got inundated. According to the Kerala government, in the month of May, Kerala received 489.6mm rainfall, 232.9 per cent excess than normal rainfall of 147.1mm generally recorded during the monsoon in Kerala.
According to IMD, between March 1 and May 29, Kerala received 465.1mm of rainfall, 39 per cent excess than 334.7mm normally recorded in Kerala. On May 15, the weather office had announced the onset of monsoon over Kerala by May 31.
This Southwest monsoon, the weather agency predicted above normal rainfall across the country. “Qualitatively, the southwest monsoon seasonal rainfall over the country as a whole is likely to be 106 per cent of the long period average,” IMD said.
