Monsoon deficiency rises to 12 percent

New Delhi, Aug 27: Monsoon deficiency in the country aggravated further and reached to 12 percent, with parts like Marathwada region in Maharashtra witnessing 50 per cent less rainfall.

Overall 51 per cent of the country has received "normal" rainfall -- a dip by 7 per cent since last week. Thirty-six per cent of the country received "deficient" rainfall, an increase of 7 per cent since last week. Of 36 sub-divisions, 18 have received normal rainfall while 15 witnessed deficient rainfall.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) data, of the four divisions, the southern peninsula and central India are the worst hit, witnessing deficiency of 20 and 15 per cent, respectively.

Many sub-divisions like Mararthwada, Konkan and Goa and central Maharashtra witnessed 50, 38 amd 32 per cent deificinecy in rainfall. Coastal and south interior Karnataka, Telangana and Kerela witnessed deficiency of 44, 28, 25 and 31 per cent, respectively.

The rainfall deficit in eastern UP stood at 36 per cent, western UP 30 per cent, and Punjab 31 per cent. Sub-regions like Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and east Rajasthan, Odisha, Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, Lakshadweep and south interior Karnataka have received normal rainfall.

The MeT department has forecast a "deficient" monsoon this season with the shortfall expected to be about 12 per cent across the country.

Of the two months of the season, June has received excess rainfall of 16 per cent while July witnessed deficient rainfall of 17 per cent. August too is expected to bring in a 10 per cent deficiency in rainfall.

PTI