Kerala received 135 per cent extra rain this month, says IMD

Kochi, Oct 19: As Kerala braces for another spell of downpour from October 20, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) data shows that the southern state has received 135 per cent excess rain during the period from October 1 to 19.

During the heavy spell on October 16 when the IMD issued a Red alert indicating extremely heavy rainfall, numerous incidents of landslips and other rain-related accidents were reported from south-central districts of Kerala, resulting in at least 24 deaths.

The season's rainfall data on IMD website shows that the normal rainfall for the period of October 1 to 19 was 192.7 mm whereas the actual rainfall was 453.5 mm. There is a "large excess departure" of 135 per cent, the website says.

"During October-December, through the north-east Monsoon, the state receives an average rainfall of 491.6 mm, which is 16.8 percent of the annual rainfall. This year, the state has received 453.5 mm rain during Oct 1-19, instead of the usual 192.7 mm. This means that the state has already received over 90 per cent of this season's rainfall," a senior IMD official told PTI.

Except for Thrissur and Alappuzha , all other districts have received over 100 per cent of the usual rainfall. While Kozhikode saw the highest increase (223 per cent excess), Alappuzha saw the least increase (66 per cent) in rainfall. The official said the heavy downpour which the state witnessed recently marks withdrawal of the southwest monsoon which normally ends by September 30.

Kerala has received excess rain due to the low pressure zones that developed near Lakshadweep coast in the South-Eastern region of the Arabian Sea and in the South-Eastern parts of the Bay of Bengal.

After a relative respite of two days, the IMD today issued an orange alert for 11 districts of Kerala indicating heavy rainfall on Wednesday.

The IMD sounded the alert for Thiruvananthapuram, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad and Kannur districts on October 20. The weatherman has put 12 districts on orange alert on Thursday also. It has been issued for all districts other than Kannur and Kasaragod on October 21.