A fisherman casts his fishing net into the waters on a rainy day on the outskirts of Kochi.The regional centre in Thiruvananthapuram put out a weather warning for fishermen and people staying in coastal areas for heavy rains in the next 48 hours.
After hitting Kerala, the monsoon begins its northward and north-east journey, drenching the whole country in 40 days.The normal date for monsoon onset on Delhi is around the end of June
A woman stands on a seaside promenade against the background of pre-monsoon clouds gathered over the Arabian Sea in Kochi
The India Meteorological Department declares the arrival of monsoon rains only after parameters measuring consistency of rainfall over a defined geography, intensity, cloudiness and wind speed are satisfied.
Men use a plastic sheet to cover from rain as they walk along a road in Kochi
People enjoying at Veli Tourist Village,Thiruvananthapuram. Monsoon entered the Indian mainland a couple of days ahead of schedule, aided partly by a cyclone in the Bay of Bengal, according to the Indian meteorological department. Much of the country has been reeling under hot weather that saw temperatures in March hitting levels usually seen in May.
The monsoon rains are a lifeline for India’s economy, especially in central and northern states where dozens die every year due to heat-strokes.