Kerala is to witness an intense spell of heavy to very heavy rainfall for the next five days, according to a bulletin by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). The IMD in its district rainfall forecast, on Sunday, July 2, has predicted heavy rainfall in most parts of the state till July 7. In a revised forecast, yellow warning has been issued in seven districts for Monday, July 3 - Kasaragod, Kannur, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Thrissur, Kottayam and Kollam.
The met department has predicted isolated heavy rainfall also likely over Coastal Karnataka and Kerala during next 5 days; South Interior Karnataka and Tamil Nadu between July 2 and 4; Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema on July 3 and 4; Telangana on July 4; isolated very heavy rainfall also likely over Coastal Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu on July 3 and 4.
For July 4, orange warning has been issued for Kasaragod, Kannur and Idukki; and yellow warning for nine districts except Wayanad and Thiruvananthapuram. For July 5, orange warning has been issued for eight districts: Kasaragod, Kannur, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Thrissur, Palakkad, Wayand, and Idukki; and yellow warning for five districts: Ernakulam, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Pathanamthitta and Kollam.
IMD also reported that the monsoon's progression and coverage was ahead of schedule - six days earlier than the normal date of July 8. However, the country still experiences a rainfall deficiency of 13% at 136.5 mm since June 1. Some states have received excess rainfall, while others have experienced deficient rainfall.
The month of June saw normal rainfall in 12 states, while 14 states recorded deficient rainfall, with two states facing a significant deficiency. The presence of cyclonic circulations in the central parts of the south Bay of Bengal and the north Andaman Sea has led the IMD to issue warnings for south, west, east, and northeastern India. Heavy to heavy rainfall is expected in various regions, including south interior Karnataka, coastal Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal, Kerala, Mahe, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam, Rayalaseema, Telangana, north interior Karnataka, and Lakshadweep on different days. Additionally, light to moderate rainfall is predicted in Konkan, Goa, Ghat areas of central Maharashtra, and Gujarat.
(With IANS inputs)