Uneven monsoon: Excess rain in south, north Indian districts parched

Halfway through the rainfall season, 36 per cent of India's districts-267 out of 742-are experiencing deficient or severely deficient rainfall

The much-awaited monsoon after a scorching summer is proving to be somewhat disappointing so far. Although July is expected to close with 9-10 per cent more rainfall than usual across the country, bringing the season's total to 2 per cent above average, the monsoon's distribution remains uneven, with central and southern India experiencing ample rain, while the northwest and east face significant deficits.

Midway through the rainy season, 36 per cent of India's districts—267 out of 742—are experiencing deficient or severely deficient rainfall, reported The Times of India, citing data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) as of July 30.

 

This includes all 24 districts in Jharkhand, 15 in Gangetic Bengal, 33 out of 38 in Bihar, 19 out of 22 in Punjab and Haryana each, 5 out of 9 in Delhi, 9 out of 12 in Himachal Pradesh, and 15 out of 20 in Jammu and Kashmir.

Out of the deficient districts, 232 have reported rainfall 20 per cent to 59 per cent below normal, while 35 have seen deficits of 60 per cent or more. In contrast, 245 districts have reported normal rainfall, and 230 have experienced excess or large excess rainfall.

The IMD’s rainfall map indicated that deficit districts are primarily clustered in eastern India and the northwest, highlighting consistently poor rainfall in these areas. Smaller clusters of deficit districts are also seen in southern Rajasthan and various parts of the northeast.

With the monsoon being active for over a month, the meteorological department is anticipating a continued lull in August.

Haryana staring at relief measures if the monsoon doesn’t improve
 

Gurgaon and most of Haryana have faced a significant rainfall deficit in July, with only six out of 22 districts meeting normal levels. The IMD attributes this to a delayed La Nina formation, weakening the monsoon. The weather department has forewarned that contingency plans and adaptive strategies may soon be needed in the state to support affected farmers and address water scarcity.

If this trend persists, meteorological department officials stated on Sunday that the state might need to implement relief measures for farmers dependent on monsoon rains and explore ways to mitigate water shortages, The Times of India said.

According to IMD data, Gurgaon recorded 90.9 mm of rainfall this July, 44 per cent below its normal level for the month.

Overall, Haryana recorded a 38 per cent rainfall deficit from its normal level, with 114.6 mm of rainfall. Experts noted that this pattern mirrors June, which also experienced below-normal precipitation. An IMD official from Chandigarh mentioned that monsoon conditions were "weak" throughout June and July, resulting in deficient rainfall.

This year's rainfall pattern contrasts sharply with last year's excess. In July 2023, Gurgaon received 217.2 mm of rainfall, 24 per cent above normal, while Haryana recorded 237.1 mm, 59 per cent more than its normal of 149.9 mm.

Agriculture hit by uneven rainfall
 

Despite normal rainfall levels, sowing has been limited, with acreage only 2.3 per cent higher than the previous year as of July 26, according to a report by Moneycontrol.

Rice sowing was nearly the same as the previous year, at 216 million hectares compared to 216.4 million hectares last year, while pulses sowing increased by 14 per cent. Haryana and Punjab, the major rice-growing states, continue to face over 40 per cent rainfall deficits.

Sowing of coarse cereals increased by 5 per cent from the previous year, while jute and cotton sowing decreased by 6.9 per cent. West Bengal had a 12 per cent deficit as of July 30.

The sowing levels are also being affected due to the uneven reservoir capacity across the country. Reservoir levels improved to 4 per cent below normal as of July 23, up from 13 per cent below a week earlier, the report said. However, Punjab, Bihar, and Andhra Pradesh continue to experience at least a 50 per cent deficit in normal capacity storage in their reservoirs.