Date:29/06/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/29/stories/2008062950090100.htm

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Southwest monsoon picks up in State

P. Venugopal

Wet spell likely for the next three days
Inflow to reservoirs has begun to pick up

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Strong southwest monsoon winds have begun to blow along the west coast bringing widespread rainfall with isolated heavy rainfall in Kerala on Saturday.

The weather models of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) showed the rain-bearing winds picking up to the speed level of up to 30 km per hour across the breadth of the State during the next 72 hours, suggesting a wet spell that could last at least three days.

Idukki district, the focus of attention at the moment because of the depleted storage in the reservoirs feeding the hydro-electric stations there, received only modest downpour during the 24 hours ended Saturday morning.

Munnar in the district received 3 cm rainfall, the IMD update said. Idukki project area received 2.9 cm rainfall, Edamalayar project area 3 cm and Kundala/Madupetty project area 1.6 cm during this period, according to the Kerala State Electricity Board’s (KSEB) rain gauges.

Power position

The inflow to the reservoirs too has picked up, though it is still not anywhere close to the levels usually attained during this time of the year. The reservoirs together received flow equivalent to 34.12 million units of electricity during the 24-hour period. Good monsoon days last year had brought inflow worth up to 170 million units of power.

The heavier of the recorded rainfall was chiefly in north Kerala, eluding Idukki district. Kasaragod recorded very heavy rainfall of 7 cm during the 24 hours ended Saturday morning. Kudulu, Vadakara and Aluva received 6 cm rainfall each; Hosdurg, Manjeri and Kozhikode Airport 5 cm each; Mannarkkad, Thalassery, Kozhikode, Thrissur, Paravur, Kottayam and Kanjirappally 4 cm each; and Kannur, Kochi Airport, Alappuzha and Mancompu 3 cm each.