Jagran Correspondent, Varanasi: After a two-day delay, the monsoon finally arrived in Uttar Pradesh via the eastern border of Ballia district on Tuesday, bypassing the traditional route via Sonbhadra. The India Meteorological Department has also issued a rain alert for 10 districts, including Varanasi and Kushinagar.
The monsoon, which arrived in Uttar Pradesh via the districts of the Azamgarh division, will soon enter other districts. Considering the current pace, other districts in Purvanchal will soon experience increased monsoon activity.
Although the monsoon arrived in the country on schedule, it stalled for over a week after reaching Patna in the east. It was forecast that monsoon activity would enter the state via Sonbhadra, as before. However, the monsoon's pace remained rapid from the east, and according to a chart released by the IMD on Tuesday afternoon, the monsoon line has activated in the eastern part of Ballia district or in areas adjacent to Bihar, creating an environment for the movement of monsoon clouds.
"The main branch of the southwest monsoon enters the state from the eastern edge via Bihar. Moist monsoon winds have indicated that they will cross Bihar and surrounding areas and enter the Uttar Pradesh border via Ballia," said Suresh Singh, Incharge, Meteorological Centre, Middha, Ballia.
While monsoon activity has entered Uttar Pradesh from Ballia district, Sonbhadra also remains within a distance of 50 to 100 km.
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Within two to three days, monsoon activity can be seen in Ballia, Azamgarh, Mau, Ghazipur, Varanasi, Sonbhadra, Mirzapur, as well as Bhadohi, Chandauli, and Jaunpur. Tribal people are also keeping an eye on the Khodwa mountain in Sonbhadra, hoping to turn to agriculture upon getting the signs of monsoon activity.
Although the monsoon line had initially activated and reached close to Maharajganj in the Gorakhpur division, it stalled there and finally entered Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday via Ballia.