Rainfall deficiency hits 43%; monsoon progress likely in 2-3 days: IMD

Monsoon is expected to advance further up north as Cyclone Vayu loses intensity paving the way for the wind system to move towards the Arabian Sea, the weatherman said Sunday.

By now, monsoon should have reached the central India, including parts of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, eastern Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, but it is yet to reach Maharashtra.

It still remains over Mangalore, Mysore, Cuddalore over the southern peninsula and Passighat, Agartala in the northeast, according to the Indian Meteorological Department.

The western coast - from Maharashtra to Gujarat - has been receiving rainfall due to the cyclone. Only coastal Karnataka and Kerala have received rains due to monsoon.

Vayu is expected to cross the Gujarat coast on Monday evening as a depression. This will pave the way for monsoon winds to move up towards the Arabian Sea.

Monsoon made an onset over Kerala on June 8, nearly a week after its usual onset date.

"The progress of monsoon was halted due to Cyclone Vayu. As its intensity decreases, we expect monsoon to progress in the next 2-3 days," said Devendra Pradhan, additional director general, IMD.

In its monsoon bulletin, IMD said conditions are becoming favourable for further advance of the southwest monsoon to more parts of central Arabian Sea, Karnataka and remaining parts of Tamil Nadu. It is expected to cover more parts of central, north and south Bay, northeast India, north Bengal and Sikkim in 1-2 days.

The overall monsoon deficiency in the country has reached 43 per cent due to its sluggish pace. IMD's central division which covers Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Goa has recorded 59 per cent of rainfall deficiency while east and northeast India has recorded 47 per cent deficiency.

Rainfall deficiency in meteorological subdivisions west and east Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh was 75, 70 and 72 per cent, respectively. Deficiency in Vidarbha is 87 per cent.

According to the Central Water Commission, the water level in reservoirs of south Indian states and Maharashtra is lesser than the average of last ten years.

Several parts of the country are reeling under intense heatwave, especially the east Indian states of Jharkhand, Bihar and Odisha.