- Southwest monsoon covered India by 29 June, nine days earlier than average
- Rajasthan's rainfall is 50% above its long-term average at 554 mm so far
- Uttarakhand recorded 1,075 mm, over one-third higher than usual
The rains came early this year, drenching deserts in Rajasthan, swelling rivers in Punjab, and pouring heavily over the high mountains of Ladakh. While some parts of India have been inundated, others continue to wait anxiously for showers.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the southwest monsoon covered the entire country by 29 June, nine days ahead of its average date. It already reached Kerala on 24 May, eight days earlier than usual.
Rainfall in Rajasthan has exceeded 554 millimetres so far, more than half above its long-term average.
Himachal Pradesh has recorded over 762 mm, around one third higher than normal, while Uttarakhand has crossed 1,075 mm. Delhi too has seen heavy showers, with more than 574 mm already this season.
Ladakh, one of the driest parts of the country, has reported 64 mm of rainfall, nearly three times more than its usual average. Jammu and Kashmir has received 466 mm, while Punjab and Haryana have logged 423 and 103 mm respectively. Jharkhand has crossed 1,000 mm, and Gujarat has recorded 641 mm, all well above average.
The monsoon has turned disastrous in several Himalayan states.
In early August, a cloudburst or glacial lake outburst in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi triggered flash floods that killed at least five people and left many missing.
Jammu and Kashmir suffered landslides near the Vaishno Devi shrine that killed at least 36 people, after rainfall rose to more than seven times its seasonal norm.
Himachal Pradesh, too, has seen repeated landslides and bridge collapses.
Punjab and Haryana have faced swollen rivers and waterlogging, with farmland and villages submerged. In Jind district of Haryana, July and August rainfall rose steeply compared to previous years, damaging crops and property.
While the north and west have been inundated, the east and northeast have struggled with deficits.
Bihar has recorded 544 mm of rainfall, more than one quarter below average. Assam has received 754 mm, around one-third less than normal.
Arunachal Pradesh has reported a shortfall of nearly 40 per cent, Meghalaya over 40 per cent, and Sikkim close to 20 per cent.
The IMD has forecast that rainfall is likely to remain above normal in northwestern and central India through September.
