[New Delhi]Agra Experienced Highest Monsoon Deficiency This Season
Seven out of eight districts which have reported highest monsoon deficiency this season are in Uttar Pradesh, with shortfall in some exceeding 80 per cent, while two districts in Jammu and Kashmir have recorded 162 per cent excess rainfall.
According to India Meteorological Department (IMD),
Monsoon in India officially starts from June 1 to September 30. The overall monsoon deficiency in these four months in the country stood at around 14 per cent. Northwest India recorded a deficiency of 17 per cent, followed by Central India at 16 per cent, 15 per cent in southern peninsula and 8 per cent in East and North-East India.
Fatehpur, Ambedkar Nagar, Kaushmabi, Kushi Nagar, Kanpur Dehat, Mansa, Rae Bareli and Agra have received “scanty” rainfall this season. Except for Mansa, which is in Punjab, all districts are in Uttar Pradesh.
Fatehpur district a staggering 88 per cent less than normal rainfall. Against the normal rainfall of around 812.5 mm for the season, it received just 97.7 mm.
It was followed by Ambedkar Nagar (87 per cent). Against the normal expected rainfall of 904.8 mm, it received only 118 mm. Kaushambi has received 82 per cent deficient rainfall at 141.5 mm.
Kushi Nagar and Kanpur Dehat both registered 79 per cent less than normal precipitation, while Agra and Rai Bareli recorded 69 per cent deficient rainfall. Mansa district of Punjab has recorded deficiency of 74 per cent.
The Northwest India division of the IMD comprises states like Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana, Chandigarh, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarkhand.
Eastern and western Uttar Pradesh have together recorded a deficiency of 45-46 per cent.
According to Skymet, a private weather forecasting agency, 31 districts out of 41 in eastern Uttar Pradesh received deficient rainfall.
“While in western Uttar Pradesh, three districts out of 30 have observed normal rains. The number of deficient and scanty districts are 20 and 7, respectively. More number of scanty and deficient districts in these parts of the state will certainly raise some concerns,” Skymet added.
Some districts in Jammu and Kashmir, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh have recorded excess rainfall.
Pulwama and Srinagar have recorded 162 per cent of “excess” rainfall. The normal rainfall expected in Pulwama and Srinagar is 151.4mm and 184.3mm respectively, but it registered rainfall of around 409.9 mm and 483.2 mm respectively.
Similarly Jaisalmer (93 per cent), Barmer (76 per cent) and Jalore (72 per cent), which are not known to be high rainfall districts, have received excess rainfall this season.
Theni district in Tamil Nadu and Shajapur in Madhya Pradesh have recorded 131 and 69 per cent excess rainfall respectively.