PANAJI
Heavy to very heavy rains caused a flurry in Goa with India Meteorological Department (Goa) issuing a Yellow Alert for the State. Rains accompanied by thunder and lightning disrupted normal life and affected the ongoing Ganesh Chaturthi festivities.
After experiencing a deficit rainfall for over a month and a half since August, the State has now seen a significant increase in precipitation since Tuesday, coinciding with the commencement of Ganesh Chaturthi.
However, despite the inconvenience caused, the weather has provided much-needed relief from the heat.
As of Thursday, the intensified rains largely affected the low-lying areas. Commuters on the streets once again faced severe difficulties as a result of the poor road conditions and the ongoing Smart City works in parts of Panaji.
The continuous rainfall also kept the fire personnel on their toes with several calls of trees falling on the road, houses and even vehicles reported in the last couple of days.
As per details shared by the IMD, the monsoon season in Goa has been relatively normal so far, with a meager surplus of just 3.2mm. The cumulative rainfall received to date stands at 3016.5 mm. In the last 24 hours, Panaji recorded the highest rainfall at 76.2 mm, followed by Mormugao and Sanquelim at 66.2 mm and 64.4 mm, respectively.
The IMD has issued a warning, advising people to avoid open areas and fields during thunderstorms and to also stay away from electric poles seeking shelter beneath trees and weak structures during such weather conditions for their safety.
