South-West Monsoon ends with 14% deficit

New Delhi: Rainfall in the country was 14 <g data-gr-id="36">per cent</g> lower than normal during the SouthWest monsoon that officially ended on Wednesday with a double-digit rain deficit being recorded for the second consecutive year causing drought in some states.

This year’s summer rains were particularly affected by the El-Nino phenomenon with the deficiency for the four-month long season being more or less in line with the forecast of the Indian Meteorological Department(IMD) which predicted 12 per cent deficit. Last year, there was a 12 per cent deficit. Around 55 per cent of the country, however, received “normal” rainfall, the IMD said.

The official period for the Southwest Monsoon season in India is between June 1 and September 30. “Rainfall in Southwest monsoon was 14 per cent deficient.

We are satisfied that our Long Range Forecast <g data-gr-id="49">have</g> turned out as per our prediction. This was for the first time that we made a prediction of more than 10 per cent deficiency,” IMD Director General Laxman Singh Rathore said. Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) had made a forecast of 88 per cent rainfall with plus or minus 4 per cent. 

Country wise, Northwest India has recorded a deficiency of 17 per cent, followed by 16 per cent in Central India, 15 per cent in Southern Peninsula and 8 per cent in East and North-east India.

Several parts of the country also witnessed a drought like situation.