Goa on flood alert as state breaches 2,000mm rainfall mark

PANAJI: Rain gauge stations across Goa have outstripped the 2,000mm mark, as the hydromet division of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Delhi, on Sunday issued a flood alert for the state. The alert said areas in North and South Goa face a moderate flash-flood risk.

"Surface runoff and inundation may occur at some fully saturated soils and low-lying areas due to the expected rainfall occurrence in the next 24 hours," the warning said.

As for the rainfall, it breached the 1,000mm mark in Goa just two weeks ago. Sanguem has recorded the highest seasonal total with 2,343mm of rainfall so far, followed by Quepem with 2,278.2mm. The quick ascension to the 2,000mm mark owes to the torrential rainfall that the state has been receiving since last week. Owing to the heavy rainfall across Goa on Sunday, the fire services received calls about 62 tree crashes.

"The active monsoon conditions over Goa for the past two weeks have really changed the whole scenario, with the favourable synoptic conditions," said meteorologist and retired National Institute of Oceanography scientist, M R Ramesh Kumar. He added, "This is most likely the second active event over the core monsoon zone which occurred after the first one from June 26 to 30."

Kumar pointed out that there was no break in monsoon conditions in Goa so far this season even though weak monsoon conditions prevailed for several days after the onset in Kerala. Favourable conditions such as offshore trough from Mumbai to Kerala coasts helped bring abundant rainfall to the Goa coast.

Moderate rainfall likely from Jul 27-29
Also, the western end of the monsoon trough was mostly in the southern position. “But the eastern end of the monsoon trough was mostly in the northern position most of the time, resulting in lower rainfall in the eastern and northeastern meteorological subdivisions,” Kumar said.

The IMD has extended its orange alert by five days, till July 26. Due to active monsoon conditions, squally weather with wind speed reaching 45- 55kmph gusting to 65kmph is very likely along and off the Maharashtra-Goa coast. Intense spells and winds gusting to 40-50kmph are very likely on July 24. The IMD has also warned of moderate to heavy rainfall in most places from July 24 to 26. Moderate rainfall is very likely in most places from July 27 to 29.