Monsoon predicted to be at 88 percent of normal strength: Harsh Vardhan

Union Minister for Earth Sciences Dr. Harsh Vardhan on Tuesday confirmed that this year's monsoon has been forecast at being below average, with the annual season predicted to be at 88 percent of its normal strength.

"We have presented the findings on the second stage of the monsoons, that is of April and beyond. We had in April predicted that the monsoon would only be at around 93 percent strength, but the latest

calculations have stated that the monsoons will only be at 88 percent of its strength, plus/minus four percent," Dr Harsh Vardhan told the media.

The minister also assured that the government will take all necessary steps to ensure that the people do not suffer due to the shortage in rainfall.

"The Prime Minister has expressed his worry over the forecast and had earlier told the Cabinet to prepare for a low rainfall. The Cabinet Secretary has also called a meeting today in light of these findings.

All ministers will do whatever it takes to ensure that if as predicted, there is a low rainfall, then the people will not suffer," he said.

Harsh Vardhan further said that the equipment currently being used to forecast the weather is comparable with the best in the world.

"We have added a high power computing facility to predict the weather so that we can notify the people after collecting the relevant information, and this facility is comparable with the best equipment

in the world," he said.

The monsoon was earlier predicted to make landfall in Kerala by May 30, but that date was later revised to June 5. If the weather conditions adhere to the predictions, then India will witness a sub-par monsoon for the second successive year.