With thundershowers lighting up the night and overcast skies dulling the day’s light, all signs point to the advent of monsoon in coastal Karnataka by Sunday.
The Indian Meteorological Department has declared the onset of the South-West monsoon in parts of southern Kerala on Friday.
In their observational data, the department said “conditions are becoming favourable for further advance” – the type that saw a downpour in the city on Thursday night – of monsoon and the rains could be declared as having entered the State within 48 hours.
For the department to declare the onset of monsoon, there has to be at least 2.5mm of rain recorded successively for three days, and wind speeds of between 50 km and 60 km per hour. “The monsoon is about five days later than the normal onset of June 1 in Kerala,” said an IMD official in Bangalore. The department has predicted a deficit of around five per cent in monsoon this year.
Heavy rain on Thursday
Meanwhile, late night commuters were stranded after the heavy rains inundated roads in the city on Thursday.
Karkala in Udupi district received the highest rainfall in the State, with nearly 80mm of rain recorded in the 24-hour period ending 8.30 a.m. on Friday. The IMD has noted that Mangalore received 50mm of rain, Mulki 40mm, Moodbidri and Dharmasthala 20mm each, Mangalore Airport and Bantwal 10mm each of rain.
The rain seems concentrated only along the coast as the district administration recorded no rain in Puttur and Sullia, while just about 2.8mm was recorded in Belthangady. The district control room said there were no complaints of injuries or areas of considerable flooding recorded on Thursday.
Apart from the warning of heavy rainfall in some areas of the district, the IMD has also issued a warning for fisherfolk of “strong onshore winds from Westerly to Northwesterly direction speed reaching 45kmph to 55 kmph” on Saturday.
Trawling ban from June 15
The Fisheries Department has said there will be a ban on trawling – use of mechanised boats for deep sea fishing from June 15. The ban will last for 57 days, until August 10, said an official.
The ban order was approved by the office of the Deputy Commissioner, and will be communicated to fishing societies by Saturday, said the official.
