MAPUSA
Heavy rainfall pounded the State throughout Friday as southwest monsoon continued with its late September flourish even as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted the possibility of heavy to very heavy rainfall for the next couple of days.
The late monsoon surge has taken up the seasonal rainfall surplus in the State to 8 percent.
The steady downpour threw normal life out of gear leading to inundation of low-lying areas, roads and highways while reports of tree falls were also reported from interior parts of the State.
A minor landslide was also reported along the NH66 at Karasvaddo, Mapusa.
The capital city of Panaji received nearly two inches of rain till late in the evening while other areas also reported heavy rainfall.
People woke up to a steady drizzle in the morning which continued throughout the day while the maximum temperature registered an appreciable fall to 26 degree Celsius.
Every part of the state has witnessed light to moderate showers from the second fortnight of September even as the average seasonal surplus rainfall showed a steady rise.
The average seasonal rainfall (from June 1 to September 29) has increased the surplus to 8.4 per cent with the State receiving an average of 3,257.9 mm of rain while the normal seasonal average is 2,999.4 mm.
“Although August was a washout as very little rainfall was witnessed across the State, the monsoon revived in the second half of September. Getting rain in September is not unusual but this year it was a bit surprising,” said Dr Ramesh Kumar, a meteorologist.
The weather bureau informed that some parts of Goa are expected to witness heavy to very rainfall on September 30 and October 1.
“Rainfall activity is very likely to increase during the next two days due to a low-pressure area lying over eastcentral Arabian Sea off south Konkan-Goa coasts and other developing weather systems,” the IMD said.
Additionally, short intense spells and winds gusting to around wind speed reaching 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph are also likely along with the rain, the IMD said.
Further, the IMD has predicted squally weather with wind speed reaching 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph along and off South Maharashtra-Goa coast.
The weather department has also issued a port warning for Maharashtra-Goa coast on account of the low-pressure area over eastcentral Arabian Sea off South Konkan-Goa coasts.
