Thiruvananthapuram, June 18 (IANS) The southwest monsoon that set over Kerala on June 8 is gathering force with rains expected to become progressively heavier until next Wednesday, Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Saturday.

There were heavy rains in Kerala on Friday night on account of the southwest monsoon which arrived a week late in the state. Strong winds also uprooted trees and damaged property here in the state capital.

While it got strengthened in Kerala, the monsoon further advanced into remaining parts of Rayalaseema and Bay of Bengal, most parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Sikkim and some parts of Odisha, Jharkhand and Bihar, said an IMD statement.

It said conditions are favourable for further advancement of the southwest monsoon, over the next two to three days, into the remaining parts of central Arabian Sea, entire Konkan, Goa, some parts of central Maharashtra, Marathwada, Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh and East Madhya Pradesh, remaining parts of North interior Karnataka, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Gangetic West Bengal, entire Telangana and some more parts of Jharkhand and Bihar.

Strong winds here on late Friday evening uprooted more than 50 trees and caused damage to vehicles and other property.

A 122-metre tall transmitter tower of the All India Radio (AIR) also got damaged in the strong winds causing suspension of radio services.

More than 40 relief camps have been opened, mostly in Alappuzha, Kollam and Pathanamthitta district, in anticipation of the inclement weather and the damage it might cause.