With southwest monsoon moving almost eight days in advance over Bay of Bengal and adjoining regions, the Indian Meteorological Department has predicted its onset over Kerala on May 29

Fallen Trees, Clothes Stuck In Lines Wednesday morning's thunderstorms and heavy downpour brought a pleasant weather change along with frustration of disappearing power supply in the Capital. Ironically, it was day when the Northern Grid had excess power available, yet lights and fans remained off in many homes. According to discom sources, a number of outages were reported from all across the city due to trees and branches falling on the distribution lines. In some areas, residents also complained of short-circuiting.

China mobilized 30,000 additional soldiers to the earthquake-shattered expanses of the nation's southwestern regions on Wednesday

After the squall lashed the Capital on Wednesday, Met officials attributed the sudden change in weather to a low pressure disturbances in the neighbouring region.

The death toll from the massive earthquake that hit China's Sichuan province Monday has neared 15,000, and more than 20,000 are reportedly still trapped under rubble. This is China's most devastating earthquake since the July 1976 earthquake in Tangshan, Hebei Province, which killed about 242,000 people. The international community must not lose any time in extending assistance to China in its efforts to search for, rescue and take care of quake victims.

The Red Cross estimated Wednesday that the cyclone death toll in Myanmar could be as high as 128,000

With the sudden change in weather on Wednesday morning, chaos reigned at the IGI airport as at least six flights had to be diverted and several delayed due to strong winds. According to sources, strong winds lashed the city during the morning hours and the airport was affected between 9.55 am and 10.27 am. During this period, at least six flights had to be diverted to nearby cities and those flights that were waiting in queue for take-off were delayed by 15-35 minutes.

Two days after an earthquake ravaged south-west China, rescuers continued the search for survivors, with efforts focussing on Wenchuan County, the epicentre. Wenchuan was cut-off until some 24 hours after the quake struck, the roads leading into the area blocked by rubble and weather conditions making aerial landings impossible. The death toll continued to soar as hitherto unreachable areas were breached by rescue workers.

A squall with a wind speed up to 104 kmph caught the city unawares on Wednesday morning and left behind a trail of destruction

The India Meteorological Department on Wednesday forecast that the onset of the South-west Monsoon over Kerala is likely on May 29, with a model error of plus or minus four days. In other words, the monsoon could enter the Indian landmass between May 25 and June 2. The normal date of onset over Kerala is June 1. Meanwhile, with the strengthening and deepening of the monsoon winds and widespread rainfall activity, the monsoon has already entered the waters surrounding the country.