Kerala braces for heavy rain as monsoon gains strength after 47 per cent deficit
KOCHI: The southwest monsoon, which had stalled for two weeks after its onset on May 30, has become active over Kerala. However, between June 1 and 19, Kerala recorded a 47% deficit, receiving 208.1 mm of rainfall against the normal 393.9 mm. This has the KSEB worried as its reservoirs are at just 25% storage.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD), in a special weather bulletin on Wednesday, said the monsoon will be active for the next seven days and Kerala is expected to receive copious rain in July, August and September.
The westerly wind, which weakened after the monsoon onset, has gained strength and is expected to bring heavy rain in northern districts.
As per the forecast, south Kerala will receive isolated heavy rainfall on Thursday and northern districts will receive heavy to very heavy rainfall from June 21 to 23. Kozhikode, Kannur, Wayanad and Kasaragod are expected to receive extreme heavy rainfall on June 23 and 24.
“The lull in monsoon was caused by weakening of westerly after monsoon onset. However, the strength and depth of the wind has increased from Tuesday — from 1.5 km to 4.5 km now — which brought fairly widespread rain from Wednesday. The rain will continue till June 25 after which we can expect a lull. However, there are indications monsoon will gain strength in July,” said IMD Thiruvananthapuram director Neetha K Gopal.
The special weather bulletin said rain or thundershower is most likely at most places in Kerala and Lakshadweep from June 19 to 25. IMD has advised fishermen not to venture into the sea from June 20 to 23.
Considering the heavy rain forecast, the KSEB has decided to increase generation and keep water level in its reservoirs low. The forecast indicates Kerala may get 150% rainfall as against the average of 445 mm in August.
This year, KSEB reservoirs have the storage to generate 1,020 million units (MUs) of power as against 2023, when the storage allowed generation of 648.76 million units. The Idukki reservoir, with a storage of 29%, generated 10 MUs of power on Tuesday while the Sabarigiri project generated 6 MUs. Meanwhile, peak-hour consumption in the state went up during the past week prompting the KSEB to purchase additional power from real-time market. On Tuesday, KSEB purchased 1.17 MUs during peak hours. The demand during the second peak from 10.30pm to 12.30 am has been increasing in recent days owing to the rise in temperature caused by the monsoon break.
La Nina is expected to set in between July and September and may bring heavy rainfall to India by August. The IMD too has forecast above normal monsoon during the latter phase of the Southwest monsoon. La Nina is the periodic cooling of surface water in the central and east central equatorial Pacific, which influences wind pattern and causes heavy rainfall.
After breaking a long dry spell on Wednesday, the state is bracing for heavy rain over the weekend. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted that the conditions are set for heavy to very heavy rain in the state till June 23, aided by the presence of a cyclonic circulation over coastal Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Kozhikode, Wayanad and Kannur are expected to get extremely heavy rain (orange alert) at one or two places on June 23.
IMD has issued an orange alert for Thursday in Malappuram, Kozhikode and Kannur and a yellow alert in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Kannur and Kasaragod. Extremely heavy rain means a place getting over 20cm rainfall in 24 hours.
