Pre-monsoon rains lash Goa

Bringing a much needed respite from prickly heat, pre-monsoon showers today lashed Goa, causing water-logging in many low-lying areas and flooding of streets in the state capital and other locations.
As per a prediction made by the Met department, the rains will continue for the next 48 hours.
"The current rainfall is due to a offshore turf that is developed away from the west coast in the deep sea. The turf is running from South Maharashtra to Kerala coast, resulting in the rains in this area," M C Sahu, Director, India Meteorological Observatory in Goa told PTI.
He said the showers will continue for the next 48 hours and heavy rains are expected at isolated places while moderate rains in rest of the state.

"The rainfall will be reduced after 48 hours and will be scattered," Sahu said, adding that the south west monsoon is expected to arrive in Goa around June 6, with a delay of a day or two.
Meanwhile, the Met department has rubbished a rumour attributing today's downpour to cyclone Mora in the Bay of Bengal.

"Rains in Goa have nothing to do with Mora cyclone in the Bay of Bengal. The cyclone has already weakened and it has no impact on Goa," Sahu said.
He said there is no prediction of gusty winds in the state.
"The winds are not very strong. They are travelling at the speed of 10 kms per hour," Sahu said.

The Met department has installed a Doppler radar at its Goa facility which has became operational and giving good results, according to the director.
The sudden rains today, however, caught people unaware and also severely affected the normal life in the state.
With low-lying areas in Panaji and other locations getting inundated due to rains, the traffic moved at a snail's pace, causing a huge inconvenience to people.
State Fire and Emergency Services reported several instances of falling of trees.
"There were eight calls received from Panaji city itself. All were about falling of trees which were attended to immediately," a senior official said.