After tremors

We had all forgotten about the fury-filled face of nature until Strong tremors were felt across North and East India Sunday evening killing scores of people and injuring many more. The destruction caused by the calamity is yet to be fully determined as the rains and landslides continue to hinder rescue works.

Tremors were felt in Lucknow, Patna, Kolkata, New Delhi and the National Capital Region, which sent thousands of people running out of their homes. Three aftershocks, of magnitude 5.7, 5.1 and 4.6 were also felt in Sikkim, says the India Meteorological Department.

Many buildings in Sikkim have developed cracks, including the Sikkim Manipal University building. There is no electricity in Gangtok and Darjeeling. Telephone lines have also snapped in some parts of Sikkim; phone lines are congested in West Bengal. While the rescue team is doing their best to restore order and calm, let us hope no more bad news is awaiting us.

Rain rain came again

It is that time of the year – and it s been so for centuries perhaps – when the skies would split open to spill the waters. Earlier this month, the IMD had said that monsoon would reach Kerala on May 31. Isolated rain falls however had been reported from different pockets of Kerala. The onset of southwest monsoon over Kerala heralds the beginning of rainy season in the Indian sub-continent.

Southwest monsoon on Sunday made a grand entry into Kerala as expected, bringing cheer to the farming community dependent on rains for a good crop. It has been pouring down incessantly since morning. “Conditions are favourable for the advance of southwest monsoon over some more parts of the Arabian Sea, remaining parts of Kerala, some more parts of Tamil Nadu, south Bay of Bengal, Andaman Sea and some parts of Karnataka in the next 2-3 days,” the India Meteorological Department said.