India’s rainfall surplus remained below 6 percent for the fifth consecutive day on September 25, as the deficit widened in northern and eastern parts of the country, data released by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) shows.
At 5.44 percent above normal, the rainfall surplus is still the highest in three days.
In Nagaland, the deficit remains a high 33 percent, in neighbouring Manipur the shortfall is 32 percent. Among the larger states, Punjab’s deficit widened to 29 percent from 28 percent the previous day. Bihar is 28 percent short of the normal rainfall for the season.
Among the southern states, Kerala is the only state to have deficit, of 13 percent, while others have got excess or normal rainfall this season.
Kharif acreage, on September 20, was 0.8 percent more than the last five-year average of 110.5 million hectares. Paddy acreage remains 3 percent above average and coarse cereals 6.4 percent higher.
Sowing of jute, cotton and pulses is lower compared with the normal area.
Water levels of reservoirs remain unchanged at 18 percent higher than their normal storage capacity on September 19. Northern region continues to see a decline in reservoir levels, even as situation improved in the east, highlighting the uneven distribution of rain this season.
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