THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The South West monsoon has failed Kerala in its first phase, causing concern to the farm sector, hydel-based power generation and drinking water supply.

Most parts of the state remain as dry and arid as in peak summer, while it should have rained heavily in the first fortnight of June all over Kerala.

As per the mid-month appraisal of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), there has been a 38 per cent deficiency in rainfall received in Kerala from the normal average since the onset of the monsoon on May 31.

Till June 18, the total amount of rainfall recorded was 23.4 cm against 37.7 cm the state should have received under normal circumstances, IMD director M D Ramachandran told PTI.