Southwest Monsoon Advances Further in Bay of Bengal, Likely to Hit Kerala on May 31: IMD

Monsoon has advanced in several more parts of Maldives-Comorin area, southwest and east central Bay of Bengal, and conditions are favourable for its onset over Kerala around May 31, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Thursday.

The Arabian Sea as well as the Bay of Bengal witnessed two cyclones – Tauktae and Yaas – over the two weeks.

Several parts of the country have witnessed an intense rainfall activity due to these two circulations. “Southwest monsoon has further advanced into some more parts of Maldives-Comorin area, southwest and east central Bay of Bengal, most parts of Southeast Bay of Bengal and some parts of westcentral Bay of Bengal today the May 27 morning.

”Conditions are likely to become favourable for onset of southwest monsoon over Kerala around May 31,” the IMD said. The normal onset date for the monsoon’s arrival over Kerala is June 1. This also marks the commencement of four-month rainfall season from June to September. The IMD has predicted a normal monsoon this year.

Cyclone ‘Yaas’, packing winds of up to 130-145 kmph, whiplashed the country’s eastern coasts on Wednesday, dumping heavy rain, damaging houses and farmlands, and leaving at least four persons dead – three in Odisha and one in Bengal — officials said.

Thick sheets of rain blurred the vast coastline, as the cyclone made landfall around 9 am near Dhamra port in Odisha, with surging waters swamping the mud-and-thatch houses in the low-lying areas, where a massive evacuation drive has been undertaken to move more than 20 lakh people to safety.

The storm, which had weakened during the afternoon, had left the coastal states on edge, with the Bengal government claiming that at least one crore people have been affected by the calamity thus far, as it hollered on its destructive path towards Jharkhand. ‘Yaas’ is the second cyclonic storm to hit India within a week after ‘Tauktae’ tore into its western coast, causing death and destruction.

Heavy rainfall in the Similipal National Park in Mayurbhanj district sparked fears of a flash flood in the Budhabalang river. Water level in the river stood at 21 metre against the danger level of 27 metre, the special relief commissioner said. Local sources said two persons were killed – one each in Keonjhar and Balasore — after trees fell on them, but there was no official confirmation yet.

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