The southwest monsoon made an onset over Kerala today after a delay of two days, the India Meteorological Department said.

The onset over Kerala marks the commencement of the four-month rainfall season in the country.

"The southwest monsoon has made an onset over southern parts of Kerala," IMD Director General Mrutunjay Mohapatra was quoted saying by news agency PTI.

Releasing its second long-range forecast for southwest monsoon on Tuesday, the weather office said it is likely to be normal in the north and south India, above-normal in central India and below-normal in east and northeast India.

Overall, the monsoon this year is likely to be normal in the country as a whole, said Mr Mohapatra.

However, the southwest monsoon in 2019 and 2020 was above normal.

Southwest Monsoon has advanced into some parts of south Arabian Sea, Lakshadweep area, south Kerala, south Tamil Nadu, remaining parts of Comorin Maldives area & some more parts of southwest Bay of Bengal today: India Meteorological Department (IMD) pic.twitter.com/oPXrUYpH6t

— ANI (@ANI) June 3, 2021

The southwest monsoon is one of the primary drivers of the country`s economy, which is largely based on agriculture and its allied activities.

Large parts of the country rely on the four-month rainfall season for agriculture and also for filling reservoirs.

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