Agartala/Guwahati, August 3 (IANS): The mountainous northeast India has so far experienced uneven monsoon rains even as Assam and other northeastern states witnessed flood fury, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Thursday. According to an IMD report, last year also, seven northeastern states, except Sikkim, witnessed deficient rainfall during the monsoon (June-September).
“Assam and Meghalaya sub-division and Arunachal Pradesh sub-division recorded around 20-21 per cent deficient rains in the first two months (June and July) of the four-month monsoon period,” the IMD report said.
“Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura sub-division recorded 12 per cent excess rainfall in June and July,” it added. The seven northeastern states are divided into three sub-divisions -- Assam and Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura.
According to the IMD report, Assam and Meghalaya sub-division recorded 849.8 mm rainfall in June and July against the average of 1,068.3 mm. Arunachal Pradesh sub-division witnessed 824.8 mm rainfall during this period against an average of 1,047.1 mm.
The Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura sub-division recorded 938.2 mm of rainfall against an average of 840.3 mm. “Rain producing systems, including deep depressions, were very much active in Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura sub-division resulting good rainfall.
However, the deficiencies in monsoon rainfall expected to be cover in the remaining period of the monsoon by the end of the monsoon period of September,” IMD Director Dilip Saha told IANS.
“The frequency of movement of monsoon factors are also favourable in Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura sub-division,” he added. In the northeast, though the normal monsoon period is June to September, it sometimes continues until the first week of October, Saha said.
An expert of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) said deficient rains would not affect crops in the northeast region as there was good pre-monsoon rainfall recorded in most parts of the region. However, floods have damaged huge crops and vegetables in most parts of Assam, he added.
“We expect a good and normal rainfall in the remaining period of the monsoon in most parts of the northeastern region,” the ICAR official added. According to private weather forecaster Skymet, the northeastern states normally receive heavy rainfall during monsoon and its monthly average for many stations is more than 1,000 mm.
“The rain deficit may reduce to some extent but not completely as the intensity of rain is not very heavy. Weather across the sister states is pleasant and the temperatures will also continue to remain below normal,” the Skymet predictions added.
