Thiruvananthapuram: The Southwest monsoon has set in over Kerala and advanced to most parts of northeast India on Thursday morning, announced the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Earlier, the weather office had announced the onset of monsoon over Kerala by May 31. Kerala has been receiving heavy rains for the past few days resulting in a surplus May rainfall, the weather office data showed. The normal monsoon onset date for Kerala is June 1 and for Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur and Assam is June 5.
With the onset of the monsoon, IMD has revised its forecast and sounded a yellow alert for all districts on Thursday. A yellow alert indicates heavy rainfall ranging from 64.5mm to 115.5 mm.
Yellow alert in districts
May 31: Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode
June 1: Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, Kasaragod
June 2: Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, Kasaragod
Thousands in relief camps
In Ernakulam, light to moderate rainfall is recorded at Paravur and Kochi from Thursday morning. A total of 116 people are housed at five relief camps in the district. According to the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority, 2,054 persons belonging to 666 families have been shifted to 34 relief camps across the state so far.
Waterlogging hits normal life
Amid the IMD alert, Kochi, the commercial capital of Kerala has been reeling under intense waterlogging after receiving incessant rainfall in the last two days. Though rain receded on Thursday, several parts of the city especially low-lying areas like Mooleppadam, Kalamassery and Kakkanad are facing a flood-like situation. A huge number of people in Ernakulam, Alappuzha and Thiruvananthapuram districts are displaced due to the waterlogging. Power and water supply to the houses were disrupted in many places.
Though there have been moderate rains here since morning, incessant heavy rains lashed various parts of the state capital in the afternoon, leading to sudden waterlogging on busy roads and narrow lanes alike. The inundation caused trouble for people who had to go to the railway station and bus stands located in the heart of the city. Rainwater entered shops and commercial establishments in the busy Chalai market and at the SS Kovil road area. Cars and two-wheelers could be seen moving slowly through the inundated roads, and passersby were seen stuck midway, unable to move forward.
Residents of Mooleppadam told Manorama News that they were forced to clean the mud from the houses as incessant rainfall during night is leaving the area flooded. They complained that unscientific drainage and road construction triggered waterlogging in the area.
“ People will drown here. The municipal authority is not finding an amicable solution for it. We had cleaned the house on Wednesday. But the rainwater flowed to the house during night hours. Our cars were damaged and certificates of numerous students were also destroyed,” complained a man here.
In Alappuzha, low-lying areas were submerged, and flood water entered several houses in various parts of the district, including Champakulam, Nedumudy, Kainakari, and so on. Heavy waterlogging caused troubles in the Kayamkulam, Haripad, Cherthala, and Kandalloor areas. The front portion of a tiled-roof house collapsed at Ambalapuzha in Alappuzha district due to gusty winds. The roof of another house was completely damaged at Thalavady in Alappuzha following heavy rains and winds. Over 5,000 chickens died as flood water entered a poultry farm in nearby Kattakkada in Thiruvananthapuram. Potholes filled with water posed hurdles for smooth traffic on many national highways across the state.
Kerala records 40% excess rainfall in May
As per official records, Kerala recorded 40 per cent excess rainfall in May. Usually, the state receives 34.74 cm of rainfall during the summer season. But this year, the state recorded an average rainfall of 48.57 cm. In March and April, maximum temperature touched above 35 degree Celsius in various districts of the state. Following the summer rain, Kerala sighed a relief as the mercury level declined.
Alappuzha, Kottayam, Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam districts recorded the highest rainfall of 92 per cent, 88 per cent, 82 per cent and 74 per cent respectively. Meanwhile, Idukki recorded deficit rainfall of 18 per cent.
(With PTI inputs)
