India logged 32% rain deficit since June 1: IMD 2 CHILDREN DIE IN ASSAM LANDSLIDES AMID HEAVY RAIN
NEW DELHI: India has recorded a 32% deficit in monsoon rainfall in the first fortnight of the season that began on June 1, data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has revealed. The eastern arm of monsoon is delayed by three-four days, while the western arm has advanced at its normal pace. However, there is significant deficiency in rainfall even over regions where monsoon has already arrived.
There is a deficiency of 36% in rainfall over the southern peninsula, 65% over central India, 77% over northwest India and 14% excess over east and northeast India. Kerala has a 59% rain deficiency, Karnataka 34%, and Telangana 23%. Over northeast India, Manipur has a 50% deficit, Mizoram 46% and Tripura 38%. Among northwestern states where monsoon hasn’t arrived yet, pre-monsoon activity has also been missing. For example, Delhi has a 92% rain deficiency,
Haryana 92% and Uttar Pradesh 96%.
“Monsoon rain over the past 15 days has been less than normal, but over many areas covered by monsoon, particularly parts of southern peninsula, northeastern states, Sikkim and West Bengal, recorded very good rains. Now rain is picking up, deficiency has reduced from 43% on June 11 to 32% yesterday. So, the deficiency will be gradually compensated. If rainfall picks up as expected in the next 15 days, agriculture will not be impacted,” said M Mohapatra, director general of IMD. “La Nina conditions will last till the end of the season, which will support a good monsoon. But, the projected negative Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) can be a spoiler. The effect of negative IOD will be compensated by La Nina, so we can expect normal rains as forecast by us around 103% of long period average,” he added.The ongoing La Nina, which has affected temperatures and rainfall patterns, and exacerbated drought and flooding globally, is likely to continue till at least August and probably even into 2023, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said last week.
“Monsoon in the first 15 days has been slow and weak. Northwest India has largely remained dry. It has rained over northeast and peninsular India. In the next four or five days there is going to be good rainfall over east, central and northwest India. Premonsoon rains will begin over Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh from today. Easterly winds have set in over the region, which will bring dust storm and thunderstorms. There is also a western disturbance which is affecting the western Himalayan region and bring rain,” said Mahesh Palawat, vice president of climate change and meteorology at Skymet Weather.
GUWAHATI: Assam continued to reel under heavy rain for the third consecutive day with two more deaths reported due to landslides on Wednesday, and the flood situation taking a turn for the worse, officials said.
Two children were crushed to death when a landslide led to a house collapse in Azad Nagar area of Goalpara district, raising the toll due to floods and landslides in Assam this year rose to 44, they said.
The two deceased children were identified as 11-year-old Hussain Ali and eight-year-old Asma Khatoon.In Guwahati, three persons suffered injuries in Noonmati area as multiple landslides were reported across the city during the day. At least 18 districts in the state are still experiencing heavy showers.
Nearly 75,000 people have been affected by floods.