Manipur received 535.2 mm rainfall against the normal 789.8 mm during June-September, affecting rice cultivation and prompting farmers to use water pumps.
IMPHAL — Manipur recorded a significant rainfall deficit during the current southwest monsoon, with the state receiving 535.2 mm of rain between June and September against the normal rainfall of 789.8 mm, a shortfall of 254.6 mm.
The rainfall pattern this year has been marked by intense spells concentrated within shorter periods, interspersed with prolonged dry conditions, even as temperatures continue to rise, according to weather observers.
The deficit has begun to affect the farming community, particularly rice cultivators, with some farmers resorting to water pumps to irrigate their fields as rainfall remained inadequate in September.
A rice cultivator from Sagolmang Khewa Company in Imphal East district said he had been using water pumps to draw water from a nearby river to irrigate his fields, while some farmers in the area were hoping for rain.
The state received 169.1 mm of rainfall in June against the normal of 224.9 mm, registering a deficit of 22.5 per cent, according to data from the Meteorological (MET) Centre, Imphal, which functions under the India Meteorological Department and is located at Imphal International Airport.
Although July brought excess rainfall, with the state receiving 278.6 mm against the normal of 222.8 mm, rainfall dropped sharply in August.
The state received only 99.1 mm in August against the normal of 194.8 mm, resulting in a deficit of 49 per cent.
September also remained deficient, with the state receiving 89.4 mm of rainfall against the normal of 147.3 mm.
According to an official of the MET Centre, Imphal, rainfall distribution varied considerably among districts during the monsoon.
Senapati received normal rainfall in June, while most other districts recorded deficient rainfall. In July, Imphal East, Senapati and Ukhrul received normal rainfall, while the remaining districts recorded deficient rainfall.
In August, Ukhrul was the only district to receive normal rainfall, while other districts recorded deficient or large deficient rainfall. The state as a whole again recorded deficient rainfall in September.
Dr. K Ambethkar, a scientist at the MET Centre, Imphal, attributed the deficient rainfall across the region to the influence of El Niño, which weakens the southwest monsoon.
“As this is expected, El Niño effect is weakening the monsoon rainfall,” he said.
The impact of the rainfall deficit became more evident among farmers towards September.
While many cultivators did not initially notice the changing rainfall pattern during June and July, the prolonged dry spell later created difficulties for rice cultivation.
Meanwhile, the state Agriculture department has reportedly started distributing water pumps to farmers’ groups in Sekmai area of Imphal West district and Pukhao area of Imphal East district, where farmers are facing drought-like conditions due to deficient rainfall.
The current rainfall pattern marks a notable departure from the state's recent monsoon rainfall totals. According to MET Centre, Imphal records, Manipur received 842.6 mm of rainfall in 2021, 1,351.2 mm in 2022, 957.4 mm in 2023, 1,542.7 mm in 2024 and 1,430.6 mm in 2025.
The figures indicate considerable year-to-year variation in monsoon rainfall, with the current season so far recording substantially lower rainfall than the preceding years.