Three weeks of the southwest monsoon season are over and India has received cumulative rainfall which is 37 per cent more than its normal rainfall for the period, informed the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Between June 1 and June 21, as against a normal rainfall of 100.5 millimetres (mm), the country has received 137.8 mm rainfall.
All the four regions of the country have received an excess rainfall. The north-west region has registered highest rainfall departure at 76 per cent, followed by central India at 58 per cent, south peninsula at 24 per cent, and east and northeast India at 13 per cent.
Meanwhile, as per the met department, the southwest monsoon has so far covered most parts of the country except parts of Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana and Punjab. It went on to inform that the monsoon “progress to eastern, central and adjoining northwest India [was] earlier than normal upto 7-10 days. However, further progress over the remaining parts of country is unlikely during next 7 days.”
In the next seven days, there will be a weak monsoon spell over central, peninsular and northwest India but there will be an increase in the rainfall activity over northeast India, said IMD in its press statement issued today June 22.
171% excess rainfall in Bihar
According to the weather department’s rainfall data, between June 1 and June 22, of the total 694 districts in the country, 260 have received ‘large excess’ rainfall whereas 133 districts received ‘excess’ rainfall (see table).
‘Large excess’ rainfall category includes 60 per cent or more rainfall. ‘Excess’ rainfall includes 20 per cent to 59 per cent rainfall. Deficient rainfall is minus 59 per cent to minus 20 per cent rainfall.
Of the total 19 districts in West Bengal, 11 have received ‘large excess’ rainfall. Similarly 31 of total 38 districts in Bihar, and 51 of total 75 districts in Uttar Pradesh have received ‘large excess’ rainfall in the first three weeks of the southwest monsoon season.
State-wise rainfall data shows, highest rainfall departure in Bihar which has reported 171 per cent above normal rainfall between June 1 and June 22 (cumulative rainfall). As against a normal rainfall of 99.3 mm, the state has received 269.3 mm rainfall (see map).
The state is already facing early floods this year. On June 17, Gaon Connection reported how village along the India-Nepal border faced flash floods and suffered heavy losses.
158% above normal rainfall in Uttar Pradesh
Similarly Uttar Pradesh has received 158 per cent above normal rainfall. As against its normal of 49.5 mm rainfall, the state has received 127.8 mm rainfall.
Uttarakhand, which was facing flood like situation last week, has reported a rainfall departure of 128 per cent. Yesterday, June 21, Gaon Connection reported how for more than a week, the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand has been reeling under relentless rains with the majority of its districts registering ‘large excess’ rainfall. Multiple landslides have cut off villages as roads are blocked, and several villages are in darkness.
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Other states that have reported ‘large excess’ rainfall so far include Haryana, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharastra and Telangana.
Meanwhile, 10 states have reported excess rainfall between June 1 and June 22. These include Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal and Sikkim.
Deficient rainfall in northeast India
As against a large part of the country receiving either large excess or excess rainfall, some states and Union Territories have received deficient rainfall.
Manipur has minus 58 per cent rainfall departure, Meghalaya minus 44 per cent, Tripura minus 34 per cent, Arunachal Pradesh minus 28 per cent, Jammu & Kashmir minus 31 per cent, and Kerala minus 21 per cent.
As per the IMD forecast, rainfall activity is expected to pick pace in northeast region in the coming one week.
May 2021 wettest in past 121 years
Meanwhile, last month, May 2021 also witnessed heavy rainfall in large parts of the country. As per the IMD, May 2021 has been the second wettest May month in the past 121 years.
In its monthly report released on June 10, the met department had stated that the month of May, this year, has recorded the second highest rainfall in a period of 121 years.
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IMD attributed this to two back-to-back cyclones (Yaas and Tauktae) and western disturbances for the record precipitation.
“Rainfall over India during the month of May was second highest since 1901. The highest rainfall occurred in the year 1990 (110.7mm),” the IMD said in its monthly report for May.
A large number of farmers in several Indian states lost their standing crops due to excess rainfall last month.
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