Two weeks since the onset of the southwest monsoon over Kerala, Wayanad and Idukki districts are still reeling under scanty rains while Ernakulam district recorded the highest excess rainfall.
The cumulative rainfall assessment by the India Meteorology Department shows that the first phase of the monsoon in Kerala up to Monday has been marked by skewed rainfall distribution, with half the State receiving excess rainfall and the other half registering deficit rainfall.
The highest deficit of 51.07% is in Wayanad. The district received only 93.41 mm of rains against a normal of 190.9 mm. Idukki also registered a high deficit of 32.65%, leaving the reservoirs of major hydel projects with little storage.
The other districts with deficit rainfall are Palakkad (25.28%), Malappuram (24.1%), Pathanamthitta (1.77%), Thiruvananthapuram (8.93%) and Thrissur (2.38%).
Ernakulam district recorded the highest excess rainfall of 27.98%, receiving 345.8 mm of rains against a normal of 270.2 mm. Kozhikode registered the second highest excess rainfall of 26.59%, followed by Kannur (14.6%), Kasaragod (14.57%), Kottayam (14%), Kollam (12.06%) and Alappuzha (4.03%).
The State as a whole received a cumulative rainfall of 224.4 mm against a normal of 231.2 mm during the period, to register a deficit of 2.94%.
The monsoon, however, seems to have begun with a bang in Lakshadweep, with the islands receiving an excess rainfall of 145.9% over the last 14 days.
Warning issued
Meanwhile, the IMD has issued a warning that heavy rainfall is most likely to occur at one or two places in Kerala till Tuesday. Strong winds from the westerly direction, speed occasionally reaching 45- 55 kmph are also likely along and off the Kerala coast and over Lakshadweep. Fishermen have been advised to be cautious.
Kudlu in Kasaragod recorded the highest rainfall of 12 cm up to Monday morning. Irikur and Hosdurg, also in Kasaragod district, registered 11 cm each while Taliparamba in Kannur received 10 cm.
According to the daily weather inference by the IMD, the southwest monsoon has advanced further into the mainland. An offshore trough running along the coast from South Maharashtra to Kerala is expected to unleash rains over the region.
