Fifteen killed in monsoon floods
Monsoon came a week late in Delhi
More than four times the average monsoon rain has fallen in the Indian states of Punjab and Haryana over the last few days, causing floods which have killed at least fifteen people.
The monsoon was a week late reaching the region and June was very dry, with temperatures in excess of 40C in the lead-up to the monsoon breaking.
The rain is critical for a successful rice yield, but flooding may damage crops as well as endanger life.
The main monsoon period is between June and September. The monsoon begins when differences between the temperature of the sea and the land cause a southwesterly wind to blow up from the coast of Somalia, bringing with it the wet weather. This southwesterly wind continues to push the rain northwards over the course of the monsoon.
Even though the monsoon reached Kerala ahead of schedule (far south west India), Cyclone Phet helped delay its advancement northwards.
Start of monsoon:
1st June - Indian mainland (south)
9th June - Mumbai
29th June - Delhi
First week of July - whole country
End of Monsoon:
Late August - retreats from northern India
Early October - withdraws from Mumbai
September - general cooling of temps and weakening of monsoon
End of November - leaves country completely
