Shower of relief after 45 days - Monsoon to cover all districts in 48 hours... Monsoon a sniff away

LELIN KUMAR MALLICK, TT, Bhubaneswar, June 13: The southwest monsoon today hit the state, bringing the much-needed relief from a scorching summer.
The monsoon today covered the whole Malkangiri and some portions of adjoining Koraput, triggering rainfall in these two districts. Besides, some other places, including Bhubaneswar and Dhenkanal, also received heavy showers, dampening the Raja festive spirit.
Director of regional meteorological centre Sarat Chandra Sahu said the monsoon was likely to cover all other districts in the state in another 48 hours.
"The rainfall would increase from June 16 onwards. Heavy rainfall may occur at one or two places in interior parts of the state in the next 24 hours," said Sahu.
After about 45 days, temperature dipped below 40 degrees Celsius for the first time today here, putting an end to the heat wave condition, which had persisted in May and the first two weeks of this month. The city today received a rainfall of 14mm, while Dhenkanal received a rainfall of 19mm.

Statistics reveals that the state receives 1,149mm rainfall during monsoon, but in 2014, it had received a rainfall of 1,248.5mm between June and September, which was 9 per cent more than normal. While 22 districts had received normal rainfall, in remaining eight districts, rainfall was more than normal.

"There was 57 per cent less rainfall in June last, while June and July had received 47 per cent and 6 per cent more rainfall, respectively. Similarly, 18 per cent more rainfall was recorded in September last," said a Met official.

Weathermen are hopeful of good rainfall in the state despite threat of the drought with the El Nino factor still looming large.

"Rainfall in Odisha has been normal even in the El Nino years, except 2002 and 2004. In 2006, despite El Nino, the state received 35 per cent more rain than normal," said Sahu.

Rain emerged as a welcome surprise for residents of Bhubaneswar, which had witnessed temperature soaring up to 45.4 degrees Celsius this summer. "It has been a gruelling summer so far, and we have been eagerly waiting for the monsoon to hit the state. Today's rainfall was pleasant with the temperature falling this evening," said Anita Samal, a city resident.

However, on retrospect some wished the monsoon reached three days late after Raja celebrations had ended. "The showers will not allow us to go around the city and enjoy Raja," said Priti Swain, a college girl.

This year, summer had led to death of 44 persons due to sunstroke in the state. "We have so far received 170 alleged cases of sunstroke, out of which we have completed inquiry into 125 cases and found that 44 people have died due to sunstroke. Inquiry of the remaining 45 cases are under going," said the office of the special relief commissioner.

Special relief commissioner G.V.V. Sarma yesterday took a review of the status of preparedness by various agencies for possible flood situation during this monsoon.

In another development, the monsoon arrival also brought its fury along on the first day itself. In Sambalpur, two persons died and two others suffered injury after lightning had struck them at Taldihi under the Bamra block of the district this afternoon .

The deceased have been identified as Adam Chhuria, 25 and Jugal Topno, 45. The injured persons have been identified as Dhubin Lugoon, 40 and Dingra Sanga, 45. 

 Patna, June 13: Weathermen are making final calculations before officially declaring the onset of southwest monsoon within 48 hours with rainfall activities getting recorded in various parts of the state in the past three days.

Met office director Ashish Sen claimed that majority of the meteorological criteria for monsoon onset in Bihar is likely to be met within 48 hours. Purnea and neighbouring places, from where southwest monsoon enters Bihar, have received rainfall almost daily since Wednesday.

On Friday, the rain gauge in Purnea recorded 22.4mm rainfall. Several other districts, including Rohtas, Gaya and Bhagalpur, too received rainfall along with thundershowers on Friday.

India Meteorological Department (IMD), in its evening monsoon bulletin on Saturday, stated that conditions are favourable for the advance of southwest monsoon in some parts of Bihar in three to four days.

"Monsoon enters Bihar through north-eastern districts such as Purnea and Katihar, and rainfall at these places has been considerably good over the past few days. The declaration of monsoon onset is made by our headquarters in New Delhi and they have stated today that it would reach Bihar in three to four days. Based on detailed assessment of local weather conditions, we expect that monsoon onset would be declared for north-east Bihar within 48 hours," said Sen.

As per norms followed by the IMD for declaring onset of monsoon at a place, more than 75 per cent stations in the corresponding meteorological sub-division should report more than 2.5mm rainfall in 24 hours when the average wind speed should be above 20kmph. Senior officials in the local Met office claimed that 50-70 per cent stations in north Bihar reported rainfall on Friday.

Met officials have claimed that rainfall would be observed in most parts of the state over the next few days as well. "Rainfall would keep occurring over the next few days as the temperature is above 30 degrees Celsius and moisture feeding has also been continuous as monsoon is approaching the state," said Sen.

Southwest monsoon had hit the Kerala coast on June 5.