Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje / Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (DV)

Mangaluru, Jun 4: Heavy rains lashed across the city on Thursday June 4, accompanied by heavy thunder and lightning. Though it seemed as though monsoon had finally arrived, the meteorological department termed it as 'pre-monsoon' shower.

It was overcast from mid morning all through the afternoon, with only the flashes of lightning brightening up the sky.

People in the city welcomed the showers, even as some of the unprepared pedestrians ran for cover.

It was a much-needed respite from the scorching heat that had seared the city for the past few days.

Sources at the meteorological department said that it will rain for the next five days, but the monsoon will fully arrive on Mangaluru coast only on June 9.

Apart from Mangaluru, it also rained in Dharmasthala (52.4 mm), Moodbidri (9.2 mm) Puttur (3.8 mm), Shiradi (50.8 mm), Bhatkal (18.6 mm), Udupi (3.6 mm), Karkala (0.8 mm), Siddapura (0.6 mm), Sullia (3.4 mm) and Mani (4.6 mm).

The Indian Meteorological Department had predicted that the monsoons would arrive by May 29, but due to anti-cyclone effects, the IMD later said the onset was not likely before June 4.

The average rainfall across Karnataka is expected to be about 80-100 cm (32-40 inches) during this monsoon season. As in the case of normal monsoon, coastal areas will record about 300 cm (120 inches), south interior areas 74 cm (30 inches) and north interior areas 49 cm (20 inches).

With agency inputs