Deficient rainfall in parts of country
NEWDELHI:SEVERAL north-eastern states are dealing with floods but many areas in the core monsoon zone that includes parts of central and eastern India and some regions in the north-west have recorded a high rate of rain deficiency in July, a period when the rains are normally dominant.
Rajasthan has a deficiency of 33%; Madhya Pradesh 40%; Chhattisgarh 23%; Jharkhand 20% and Odisha 27% for the month July. Uttar Pradesh has a shortage of 14% but is not in the India Meteorological Department’s deficient category. This is mainly because of scanty rainfall in western Uttar Pradesh.
For the entire monsoon period since June 1, these states are bordering the deficient category because they have recorded under 19% deficiency, considered to be in the “normal” range or they have a minor rain surplus.
Delhi, after covering a deficiency of over 50% in four days, is back to “deficient” category with a shortage of 20% as on Sunday. For July, Delhi has a shortage of 8%. Himachal Pradesh has a deficiency of 33% and Kerala 27% for the June-july period.
The rain deficiency in these states will increase as the monsoon over northwest and central India will remain subdued at least for the next 2-3 days, according to IMD scientists.
“Rains may pick up over Punjab, Haryana, Delhi from July 28 for around two days. Monsoon trough was weak over the core monsoon zone. No low-pressure system or cyclonic circulation has developed over Bay of Bengal which can strengthen monsoon rains over the region. Monsoonal winds from Bay of Bengal are also very weak in July,” said RK Jenamani, senior scientist, national weather forecasting centre.
“Under such a scenario, monsoon rainfall is likely to remain subdued over plains of Northwest and Central India during next 2-3 days. However, rainfall is likely to increase over northeastern parts of India with heavy to very heavy rainfall during July 28 to 30,” the IMD said in its Sunday bulletin.
Overall, the country has recorded 5% excess rain between June 1 and June 25; 15% excess in east and northeast India; a 17% deficit over north-west India; 3% excess over central India and 16% excess over the south peninsula.