Vigorous monsoon helps to recover deficiency in Himachal

The rains have improved the prospects of good kharif crop as maize and paddy have recovered fully from the impact of the dry spell, experts said.

The averge precipitation has crossed 450 mm against normal monsoons rains of 619 mm following very heavy rains in some parts of the state during past three days and the deficiency has come down to below 30 per cent.

Barring tribal districts of Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur, which fall in the rain-shadow area and where the shortfall was 87 per cent and 61 per cent, Chamba was the only district in the state which had received a low of 335 mm of rains against normal rainfall of 1052 mm.

Kullu has received 393 mm of rain, 2 per cent higher than the normal of 385 mm while Kangra had 1,320 mm of rain, 9 per cent above the normal of 1,192 mm. The district has recorded the highest precipitation in the last 24 hours, with Dharamsala recording 262 mm of rains during past 48 hours.

Mandi recorded 70 mm and 80 mm of rain over last 48 hours, raising the cumulative precipitation up to 805 mm, only 8 per cent lower than the normal of 846 mm.

Hamirpur ahs recorded over 190 mm of rain, raising total precipitation to 877 mm, only eight per cent lower than normal.

The deficiency in Shimla has come down from 29 per cent to 15 per cent, which is normal in meteorological terms.

Solan has recorded 90 mm of rain in the last 48 hours bringing down the deficiency from 40 per cent to 27 per cent.

The foothill areas of Una and parts of Sirmaur districts had 36 per cent deficient rains but chances of recovery were bright as the MeT office has predicted widespread heavy rains in the region during next 72 hours.