Monsoon woes: Uneven rains bring floods in some parts, drought in others

Nearly 11 per cent of India is reeling under drought-like conditions, while many regions have been flooded due to excess rain, both events severely affecting the upcoming kharif sowing season

While several regions across India are grappling with heavy rainfall and flood-like conditions, approximately 10.7 per cent of the country is dealing with severe to extreme drought-like situations, The Economic Times reported, citing data from the India Drought Monitor, a weather-focused platform operated by the Water and Climate Lab at the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar.

The drought-stricken regions are primarily located in Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, and Odisha, as indicated by the portal developed by Professor Vimal Mishra and his team. Many of these areas are situated in the Gangetic plains, often referred to as India’s food basket.

 

"Soil moisture levels in Bihar, West Bengal, parts of Odisha, and Jharkhand are below the nine-year average," the business daily quoted an official from the agriculture ministry as saying. However, improvements have been observed in southern Haryana, Punjab, and eastern Uttar Pradesh compared to early August.

Uneven distribution of rainfall

Data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) shows that, up until September, 41 per cent of districts experienced normal rainfall, while 26 per cent reported deficient or significantly deficient precipitation.

Meanwhile, 24 per cent of districts saw excessive rainfall, and 9 per cent experienced 'large excess', leading to flooding in states like Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Gujarat, according to IMD records.

September is expected to bring above-average rainfall, and the monsoon withdrawal could be delayed, according to meteorologists. This has raised concerns about the kharif crop yield, particularly for pulses, oilseeds, and horticulture crops, which may face delays due to excessive rain.

The IMD forecasts that rainfall in September could exceed 109 per cent of the 50-year average, with most parts of India likely to receive above-normal rain. However, parts of northern India, much of the southern peninsula, and the northeastern states are expected to receive normal to below-normal precipitation.

The southwest monsoon, which spans from June to September, provides about 70 per cent of the rain crucial for India’s agriculture and water reserves. However, erratic rainfall, whether deficient or excessive, can lead to crop damage and reduced productivity.

UP’s kharif sowing affected due to erratic monsoon

In Uttar Pradesh, the monsoon season officially ends this month, but the uneven rainfall distribution has left farmers anxious about their kharif crop yields. Over half of the state’s districts have reportedly received below-normal rainfall since June. Of Uttar Pradesh's 75 districts, 37 have recorded deficient rainfall, while seven experienced excess, and 31 districts, mostly in the central and eastern regions, saw normal rains, as per IMD data.

In Shamli, a district known for its high-quality paddy production, only 90.8 mm of rain has been recorded, far below the average of 448.4 mm for this time of year.

Beyond low rainfall, fewer rainy days have also posed challenges for kharif farmers, particularly for water-dependent crops like paddy.

Red alert for heavy rainfall in many regions

On Tuesday, the IMD issued a "red" alert for several areas, including Gujarat, Vidarbha, eastern Rajasthan, western Madhya Pradesh, and coastal Andhra Pradesh, warning of heavy rainfall. Additionally, a "yellow" alert was issued for Rajasthan, Punjab, Delhi-NCR, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, western Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and parts of northeastern India, where heavy rains are also anticipated.