India's water reservoirs at 34% capacity in week to June 21

Latest levels were higher than the last 10 yrs average of 33%

Water levels in India's main reservoirs were at 34 per cent of their storage capacity in the week to July 21, down 3 percentage points from a year earlier, government data showed.

The latest levels were higher than the last 10 years' average of 33 per cent, and were 5 percentage points more compared with the previous week.

Monsoon rains, crucial for India's farm sector, were 7 per cent below average in the week to July 20, but have been 1 per cent above average since June 1, the typical onset time of the four-month long season.

The monsoon arrived in India on June 8 this year, a week later than usual.

Water levels in reservoirs are important primarily for irrigation during the summer and winter months, and for hydropower generation.