22% rain deficiency due to slow-progress of south-west monsoon

The slow progress of the south-west monsoon has led to overall deficiency of rains by 22 per cent over the last fortnight, the meteorological department on Wednesday said.

According to the India Meteorological Department, from June 1 to 15, the country has received overall 43.6 mm of rainfall as compared to normal level of 55.7 mm -- an overall deficiency of 22 per cent.

The progress of the south-west monsoon has been relatively slow as it is not getting a favourable system to move forward and is held up at Karwar and Gadag in Karnataka and Ongole in Andhra Pradesh.

It is only the southern peninsula that has recorded 27 per cent excess rainfall while other parts of the country have seen deficient rains.

The eastern and north-eastern part of the country have received 90.4 mm of rainfall as compared to the normal level of 138.7 mm, while north-west India has recorded only 13.6 mm of precipitation, which is 36 per cent less than normal.

Similar is the case with central India that has recorded rainfall of 27.3 mm as against the normal precipitation of 43.5 mm, a decrease of 37 per cent.

The onset of monsoon was seven days late this year as against its normal arrival date of June 1. Since conditions are not favourable for speedy progress of monsoon, north and central India will witness a delay in its arrival.

The normal date of arrival of monsoon in Mumbai is June 10 and July 1 in Delhi.

Meanwhile, the south-west monsoon has further advanced into remaining parts of Bay of Bengal and some parts of sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim.

"Conditions are favourable for further advancement of south-west monsoon into some more parts of central Arabian Sea, entire Goa, some parts of Konkan, south Madhya Maharashtra and Marathawada, remaining parts of north interior Karnataka, Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra Pradesh, some parts of Telangana, remaining parts of Bay of Bengal and some parts of Odisha, Gangetic West Bengal, Jharkhand and Bihar during next 4 to 5 days," the IMD said.

Monsoon was active over sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim since Tuesday.