Kerala is anxiously awaiting the monsoon with the cities and towns alike crying out for the rains to break, bringing a respite to the residents in the State from the scorching temperatures.
The State, the gateway of the monsoon to the country, used to witness the onset of the southwest monsoon by the first of June, which is crucial for lifting the spirit and economy of the country as a whole. However, there are places in the State that record rain throughout the year.
The last 120 years of data available with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) reveal there are rain belts at the downhills of the Western Ghats in Kerala which record close to double the average annual rainfall the State receives in a year.
