The southern state has so far seen almost 40 percent less monsoon rain than last year, the head of the local weather department told AFP, with authorities in Kerala imposing nightly power cuts as a result.

"We have got only 32.6 centimetres (13 inches) of rainfall till June 25 this year," M.D. Ramachandran said four weeks into the monsoon, which sweeps up the subcontinent from June to September.

"Kerala got 53.9 centimetres of rainfall during this month last year."

Levels in reservoirs that store water used mainly for power generation have dipped under 10 percent, well off usual June levels of around 70 percent, state minister for power A.K. Balan said.

State authorities have imposed a 30-minute nightly power cut across Kerala that will stay in place until renewed rainfall raises water stores, Balan said.

"The Kerala State Electricity Board recommended one hour of load-shedding in the state in view of weak monsoon," said Balan, referring to scheduled power outages.

"But the government decided to impose only 30 minutes load-shedding. We will lift the load-shedding when we get enough rain."

The monsoon brings with it 80 percent of India's rainfall and is vital to the economy, with two-thirds of its population dependent on agriculture, much of which is rain-fed.

When monsoon rains failed in July 2002, the agricultural losses caused an estimated three percent drop in India's GDP.

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