Visakhapatnam continues to simmer in heat despite many areas in Andhra Pradesh receiving rainfall after June 5 as predicted by weather officials.
Weather department said that the weakening of upper air circulation over the region and in the adjoining Bay of Bengal, along with the occurrence of a western disturbance, would delay rainfall in many parts of the state.
"Due to presence of these westerlies, daytime temperatures, the maximum temperature has increased upto normal levels and sometimes two to three degrees above normal levels. The situation will continue for the next two-to-three days more. Monsoon, though it has reached upto Rayalseema, it will take about four-to-six days to cover all Andhra," said C.M. Sastry, Assistant Meteorologist, Indian Meteorological Department.
Even as Andhra Pradesh reeled under severe heat, residents of Mumbai in rejoiced with the fresh spell of rainfall.
"We had come to Mumbai Central from Andheri for some work and were waiting for some hours for the rain to subside so that we could go home. But the weather is so nice, that we all have come out and are enjoying the rain even though it is 1 a.m in the morning," said Neha, a resident.
People were seen enjoying their morning walks under umbrellas on Friday. Many areas in the city even reported water logging.
The arrival of monsoon in the country has already been delayed by about a week, worrying both farmers and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government.
The monsoon typically covers half of the country by mid-June, and the entire country by mid-July, helping farmers to plant summer crops such as rice, soybean, cane and cotton.
The annual rainy season is vital for India as half its cropland lacks irrigation. The farm sector accounts for 15 percent of India's $2 trillion economy.
The rains support two-thirds of India's 1.25 billion population, who live in rural areas and rely on farming.
