The southwest monsoon has set in over India and on Friday it advanced into the north-eastern parts of the country, against the normal date of June 6, according to the Indian Meteorological Department.
"The monsoon has stabilised over Kerala. It is no longer temporary," Dr S K Subramanian from the IMD said.
The monsoon also broke into the Northeast with rains in areas like Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh, Subramanian said.
The monsoon had set in over India on May 18, ahead of the usual date of June 1.
The IMD had then regarded it as a temporary outbreak. However, the rains have sustained, and it can be now declared the normal outbreak of monsoon, Subramanian said.
In 1991, monsoon had set in over India on May 19, he said.
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