Thiruvananthapuram: At more than 90 mm on Friday, the state has recorded the highest ever rainfall during this southwest monsoon.
The last peak was on July 14, when the state received a rainfall of 60 mm.
Weather experts described as “anomalous” the massive surge in vigour of the monsoon during the last week of July. “Normally, southwest monsoon peters off by the last week of July never to regain its initial strength. Now we witness an unprecedented strengthening,” said Dr Mathews, a weather expert who had retired from CUSAT.
The late surge of the monsoon, unlike the initial pattern, is evenly distributed. Southern districts that were relatively dry during the early stages are getting plentiful showers.
Till now, all southern districts except Idukki had suffered serious deficiency.The capital district was the worst affected with 53 percent deficiency two days ago. As of now, the deficiencyhas dropped to below 40 percent. Alappuzha and Kollam, the ther two states which were relatively bypassed in the earlier stages, have reduced their deficiencies to below 20 percent.
Northern districts like Kannur, Wayanad, Kozhikode, Malappuram and Palakkad have received normal rainfall with Kozhikode receving the highest rainfall. The state, on the whole, has a deficiency of only 15 percent, considered normal in meteorological jargon. Two days ago, the deficiency was 20 percent.
The driest spell, when the monsoon was nowhere near normal, was between June 22 and July 10. It is during this period, between the last week of June and the first week of July, that traditionally monsoon has been at its peak.
Meanwhile, One person was killed and two injured, when the portion of a wall collapsed on a house following heavy rains on Friday morning in Palakkad district.
The deceased was identified as Odanikkad Subramanyan, 45, of Kottayi. His children Sunil and Subash were admitted to the Palakkad district hospital with minor injuries. The rain had made the mud soft and the base of the wall weak, resulting in its collapse.
Residents on a flooded area in Villadam near hear refused to be rescued from their homes.
The Fire and Rescue Department officials used an inflatable boat to ferry six families to safety as water seeped into their homes after the heavy rainfall.
According to A.L.Lasar, station officer, Fire and Rescue Department, Thrissur, about 21 people were shifted to the Government School, Villadam.
In another incident, one fisherman was reported missing while his companion managed to swim back to safety after their small fishing boat capsized in the rough seas off Chavakkad on Friday.
Police said the fishing boat had set sail from Chavakkad on Friday morning.
