Monsoon likely to hit Kerala coast in next 48 hours: IMD

People can expect relief from the scorching heat soon as the Indian Meteorological Department has predicted that monsoon will hit Kerala within the next 48 hours.

The Met Department had earlier said that the southwest monsoon would set over Kerala on May 30, plus or minus four days. The Southwest Monsoon had advanced over the Bay of Bengal by May 21. However, its progress has been sluggish because of anti-cyclone in the Arabian Sea.

According to IMD, thunderstorms have been observed in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, West Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat , Chhattisgarh, Assam, Karnataka, Odisha and Meghalaya.

The IMD had said that India will only recieve 88% of rain as compared to the earlier forecast of 93% which brings in the prospects of a drought year. North west region including the Delhi NCR, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh are likely to be badly hit.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also expressed concern over the issue.

The timely onset of the south-west monsoon is crucial for sowing of kharif (summer) crops such as paddy and a deficit in rainfall may hit output. Agriculture is heavily dependent on the monsoon as only 40 percent of the cultivable area is under irrigation.

In 2014 too, the country had received 12 percent less rains, which hit production of grains, cotton and oilseeds.