Four Kerala districts on orange alert for 10 June as monsoon onset likely over weekend; rainfall over state to intensify from today

Even as several parts of the country reel under a heatwave, the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority has issued an Orange alert in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha and Ernakulam districts for 10 June. The Southwest Monsoon is also likely to make landfall in the state by Saturday, reports said.

Representational image. Reuters

An Orange alert has also been issued in Kollam and Alappuzha districts for 9 June. ANI also reported that a Yellow alert (heavy rain) has been issued in seven districts for 9 June and in five districts for 10 June. Last 24 hours has seen good rainfall along Kerala, coastal Karnataka and parts of Lakshadweep islands.

"In the wake of a cyclonic circulation over Lakshadweep area, a Low-Pressure Area is expected to develop over Southeast Arabian sea in the next 48 hours. Thus, rains over Kerala will intensity significantly by tomorrow (Saturday). Few heavy to very heavy spells are also possible at a few places. Vigorous rainfall activities are expected over Kerala in the next four to five days," private weather forecaster Skymet said.

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On Wednesday, the India Meteorological Department said that the onset of monsoon in India is likely to be delayed by a week and it is now expected to arrive only by 8 June. The normal onset date for monsoon over Kerala is 1 June which also marks the official commencement of the four-month-long rainfall season.

"It is very likely to shift northwards gradually leading to favourable conditions for onset of Southwest Monsoon over Kerala around 8 June. Conditions are likely to become favourable for the advance of southwest monsoon into some parts of northeastern states during next 3-4 days," the IMD said in its monsoon bulletin on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, the IMD had said the arrival of monsoon could be on 7 June.  On Saturday, private weather forecaster Skymet too revised its forecast from 4 June to 7 June. Last month, announcing the expected day of monsoon arrival over Kerala, the IMD had said it could happen on 6 June, with an error margin of plus or minus four days.

Meanwhile, in rest of the India, heatwave conditions are expected to persist till 10-11 June, with severe heatwave in isolated pockets likely over Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, western Rajasthan, southern Uttar Pradesh and parts of Madhya Pradesh. Extremely hot days are likely  in some parts or eastern Rajasthan and in isolated pockets over Punjab, south Haryana, Chhattisgarh and Telangana.

The IMD has given a forecast of a normal monsoon for the season. The arrival of monsoon is likely to give some respite from the scorching heat.

With inputs from agencies