More than half the country has received normal rainfall: IMD

New Delhi: Even as fear of drought looms large in some parts of the country, more than half of India has received normal rainfall while some regions in central and southern parts have got deficient rains so far.

According to the India Meteorological Department data, of the 36 sub-divisions across the country, 20 have received normal monsoon. The data shows that 58% of the country has received normal rainfall, 29% witnessed deficient and 13% excess.

Overall, a deficiency of 9% was recorded in the whole country. Among the four divisions, northwest received the most rains with only 2% lesser than the normal levels followed by a deficit of 6% in the east and north east, 11% in central India and 20% in southern peninsula. In a positive sign, no sub-division has recorded “scanty” or “no-rain” precipitation.

Sub-regions like Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Jharkhand and Bihar, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and east Rajasthan, Odisha, east Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, Lakshadweep and south interior Karnataka have received normal rainfall. At least 13 sub-divisions especially in the southern peninsula and central India, have been left wanting for more showers.

With a deficiency of 44 and 46%, north interior Karnataka and Marathwada region of Maharashtra have been the worst affected in the country so far. The rainfall deficit in Central Maharashtra was 36%, Konkan and Goa 33%, eastern UP 34%, Punjab 31%, Kerala 30%, western UP 29%, coastal Karnataka 26, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi 25%, Telangana 22%, and Rayalseema region of Andhra Pradesh 21%.

North-eastern states of Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura have recorded a shortfall of 28% till now. Only three sub-divisions in the country - Gangetic West Bengal (32%), west Rajasthan (76%) and west Madhya Pradesh (35%) have witnessed excess rainfall.

The Met department has forecast a “deficient” monsoon this season with the shortfall expected to be about 12% across the country. Of the two months of the season, June has received excess rainfall of 16% while July witnessed deficient rainfall of minus 17%. August too is expected to bring in a deficiency of 10% rainfall.