Most people in India would find it difficult to fathom how heavy the rainfall that has occurred in Kerala during this monsoon is. So here are some numbers.
Kerala, even in "normal" years, gets the highest amount of rainfall among all major States in India.
The average annual normal rainfall for Kerala is nearly 3000 millimeters – 2924.3 mm, to be exact. (Hence the verdant green you would see in a satellite image of the State.)
By contrast, neighbouring Tamil Nadu gets 912.4 mm rainfall. Karnataka gets 1147.1 mm, Andhra Pradesh 890 mm, and Telangana 942.6 mm.
Haryana gets a mere 554.7 mm, Delhi gets 747.1 mm, and Uttar Pradesh, 965.3 mm. West Bengal gets 1795.8 mm and Assam gets 2296.8 mm. Maharashtra gets 1151.1 mm, while Madhya Pradesh gets 1048.4 mm.
This is the "normal" (the long-term average of 50 years).
But this year, from 1 June (the onset of the South-West monsoon in India) to 15 August 2018, Kerala has received excess rainfall of 30%. The normal rainfall in this period should have been 1606.5 mm. Instead, the State has received 2086.8 mm. The rains and floods are the heaviest since 1924.
Ernakulam district has received 21% excess rain, while Thiruvananthapuram district has got 37% excess rain. Kottayam and Malappuram districts have received 41% excess rain each.
Idukki district, which has major dams such as the Idukki-Cheruthoni-Kulamavu dam complex and the Mullaperiyar dam, has received a whopping 70% excess rain. As expected, the district has seen many landslips and casualties.
The situation in the State is extremely serious.
The shutters of 35 out of 39 dams in Kerala have been opened to release water. Red Alert has been issued in all 14 districts. Scores of people have lost their lives. Tens of thousands of people are living in relief camps. More people are being evacuated from their homes as torrential rains haven't stopped and flood waters continue to run riot.
Please do contribute to the relief efforts by donating to the Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF):
Account Number: 67319948232
Bank: State Bank of India
Branch: City Branch, Thiruvananthapuram
IFS Code: SBIN0070028
Donations can also be made online through the CMDRF website:
https://donation.cmdrf.kerala.gov.in
