Southwest monsoon has set in over Kerala and Lakshadweep, said K. Santosh, head of India Meteorological Department’s regional centre in Thiruvananthapuram. Thiruvananthapuram district authorities are taking precautionary steps like restricting flow of tourists to hill stations like Ponmudi in view of heavy rains. PTI adds:The southwest monsoon, which hit Kerala on Wednesday with heavy rains, claimed the life of a 36-year-old man following a landslip in Idukki district. In contrast, private forecaster Skymet has raised the monsoon forecast to 109 per cent owing to the waning effects of the El Nino climate cycle. The southwest monsoon has advanced over Kerala, most parts of Tamil Nadu and some parts of south interior Karnataka, besides hovering over parts of south and central Bay of Bengal, stated an update issued by the Met Department.

Source: The Hindu June 08, 2016 07:29 UTC