Vast swathes of farmlands still short of rain despite late spells
Rainfall recovery has eased the overall monsoon deficit, but 117 of 262 districts flagged for weak-monsoon vulnerability
Nearly half of India's 262 vulnerable districts have yet to receive adequate rainfall despite improvements in July and early August. The Centre's list identifies districts with a higher risk of deficient rainfall due to factors like low irrigation coverage and heavy reliance on monsoons. Of the 262 districts monitored, 117 are currently deficient or severely deficient, while 144 have received normal or above-average rainfall.
A district with no IMD classification was also noted. Rainfall is classified as deficient when it's 20-59% below the long-term average and large deficient at 60-99%. Normal rainfall falls between 19% below and 19% above the long-term average. The monsoon recovery has since weakened, with all-India rainfall now 13% below the long-period average, down from a 40% deficit in June.
Private forecasters predict a 70% chance of drought and a 85% of LPA (Long Period Average) rainfall, down from earlier April forecasts. Experts caution that while cumulative rainfall figures look promising, the frequency and pattern of rainfall during critical crop stages can still pose risks. Areas like Nabarangapur in Odisha and Kodarma in Jharkhand are particularly vulnerable due to low irrigation coverage and rainfall deficits of over 30%. The agriculture ministry did not comment on the findings.
Written by urgent.news from Hindustan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
