Monsoon likely to reach Jharkhand between June 18-21: Official

Ranchi: The monsoon, considered crucial for agriculture, is likely to hit Jharkhand between June 18 and 21, providing relief to people of the state from the current heat conditions, a meteorological department official said on Thursday.

The monsoon reached near Sahibganj district in the northeast part of the state on June 12 but "it did not proceed further as conditions were not favourable", Ranchi Meteorological Centre in-charge Abhishek Anand said.

"Conditions are likely to become favourable for further advancement of the monsoon from June 18 in the eastern region. It may enter Jharkhand between June 18 and 21," he told PTI.

The mercury level has been hovering around 40 degree Celsius in the last few days, and the situation is likely to remain the same for at least the next four days, Anand said.

The parts of the state may witness heatwave conditions till June 18 and thereafter, spells of showers may bring respite from the heat, the official said.

Usually, monsoon enters the state around June 10.

"Respite from the extreme heat or heatwave conditions is unlikely at least till June 17. Thereafter, some relief is expected but heat conditions are likely to prevail in parts of the Kolhan region till June 18. It is indicative that rainfall will increase from the next day," he said.

Some parts of the state may experience light rain with thunder and wind at a speed of 30-40 kmph during the next four days, Anand said.

The highest maximum temperature was recorded in Jharkhand’s Godda district at 44.7 deg C on Wednesday, followed by Daltonganj at 44 deg C, Deoghar at 43.2 deg C, while the mercury level reached 42.2 deg C in Jamshedpur and 39.4 deg C in the state capital Ranchi.

In the wake of the heatwave conditions, the Jharkhand government on Wednesday extended the summer vacation of all school students up to Class 8 till June 17.

Schools, however, reopened on Thursday for students of Classes 9 to 12, an order issued by school education and literacy department secretary K Ravi Kumar said.

The state government had earlier announced the extension of summer vacation for all schools for three days from June 12.