Southwest Monsoon covered entire country 12 days ahead of schedule: IMD

New Delhi: Southwest Monsoon on Friday (June 26) covered the entire country, while the normal date for the same was earlier predicted by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) was July 8. The Southwest Monsoon this year has covered the entire country 12 days prior to the normal date, according to the IMD.

The IMD further said, "the early advance over the central and northwest India was facilitated by the formation of a low-pressure area over Bay of Bengal which moved west-northwestwards and another cyclonic circulation over central India."

Usually, the monsoon covers all parts of the country by the first week of July, but this time the development of Cyclone Nisarga over the Arabian Sea is said to have coincided with the onset of monsoon over Kerala and formation of a low-pressure over the Bay of Bengal, helping it advanced rapidly over the country.

The monsoon sets over Kerala on June 1 and it takes 45 days to reach Sriganganagar in west Rajasthan, its last outpost in the country. 

On Thursday, Delhi witnessed its first monsoon rain, after the southwest monsoon advanced into the region two days in advance, while the IMD had predicted monsoon to reach Delhi on June 27, earlier this year. 

In 2019, the monsoon hit the capital city on June 29. In the past few years, monsoon has arrived earlier in the city earlier than its expected date.

In 2013, the monsoon had covered the entire country on June 16, coinciding with the deadly Uttarakhand flash floods.

Monsoon rains are critical for Indian farmers as the majority of the country`s net-sown area does not have any form of irrigation. Farmers also wait for the rains to begin sowing of crops.

Early monsoon, however, has wreaked havoc in some districts of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, claiming around 100 lives in these states. The UP government today revised the death toll in Thursday lightning strikes to 30. On Thursday, the government had said 24 people died in lightning strikes in the state.

According to the MET office, the chief amount of rainfall in the state was recorded in Salempur - 12 cm, Elginbridge - 9 cm, Fursatganj - 8 cm, Chandradeepghat - 7 cm, and Ramnagar (Barabanki), Fatehpur (Barabanki), Ankinghat and Balrampur -- 6 cm each.

Churk, Safipur, Jaunpur, Akbarpur (Ambedkarnagar), Kannauj, Sultanpur (FM) recorded 5 cm rainfall each. Robertsganj, Bahraich, Azamgarh, Bindki (Fatehpur), Turtipar (Ballia), Jaunpur, Sultanpur, Badaun, Bareilly, and Aonla recorded 4 cm rainfall each.

According to the MET department, rain/thundershower is very likely at most places over eastern Uttar Pradesh on June 27, adding that thunderstorm accompanied with lightning is very likely at isolated places in western UP and at a few places over eastern UP on Jun 27.

The IMD today predicted heavy rainfall along with thunderstorms and lightning for as many as eight districts of Bihar, where 92 people were killed on Thursday.

"Siwan, Gopalganj, Sitamarhi, Darbhanga, Supaul, Araria, Kishanganj and Katihar will receive heavy rainfall along with thunderstorm, lightning, and squalls," the MeT department said, predicting that districts such as East Champaran, West Champaran, Gopalgunj, Siwan, Saran, Sitamarhi, Madhubani, Darbhanga, Kishanganj, Katihar, Madhepura, Purnia, Saharsa, and Araria are also likely to receive rainfall. 

The death toll due to thunderstorm and lightning strikes in Bihar has now climbed to 92, the state Disaster Management Department (DMD) reportedly stated today.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had announced Rs 4 lakh each for the families of the deceased, while urging people to follow safety norms during bad weather conditions issued by the disaster management department.