Heavy rainfall to continue till Saturday

Panaji: As rains continue to lash Goa, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has continued with an orange alert for the state with forecast of very heavy rainfall at most places for the next 48 hours.

With the development of a cyclonic circulation over the Arabian Sea, the state is likely to experience intense heavy rainfall till Saturday morning. The cyclonic circulation located over southeast Arabian Sea and Kerala coast extending between 7.6 km and 9.5 km above mean sea level persists.

According to the weather department, a cyclonic circulation over the Arabian Sea has led to instability and brought heavy rain and thunderstorms in coastal Goa but not to last for long. The department says the heavy rain alert is for the next 48 hours and from Sunday onwards, there is no heavy warning alert with change in the wind pattern.

Since June 1, the state has witnessed above-normal rain – 2596.9 mm (an excess of 388.2 mm). The excess rain graph has increased to 18 percent.

Fishermen are advised not to venture into sea, as rough sea conditions with strong winds reaching 50-60 kmph are likely over north, central and south west Arabian Sea during the next five days.

On Thursday, between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm, the state average rainfall touched 61.1 mm, which was two times more than normal rain received in a day. Valpoi received 102 mm rain, while Ponda and Sanguem recorded 90 mm rain each. Sankhali recorded 71 mm rain and Quepem witnessed 60 mm rain. Old Goa received 52.2 mm and Panaji recorded 48 mm.