Water reservoir levels at 24 pct capacity in past week

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Water levels in India's main reservoirs were at 24 percent of their total storage capacity in the week to July 3 as against 29 percent capacity a year ago, government data showed on Friday.

The latest levels were more than the normal level of 21 percent, but 1 percentage point lower compared with the previous week, reflecting weak monsoon rains.

However, the monsoon rains strengthened at the start of the key planting month of July after recording the weakest first month of the June-September rainy season in five years, weather officials said on Thursday.

Water levels at reservoirs are important for hydro power, which account for about a quarter of India's generation capacity. They also provide water to irrigate winter crops such as wheat and rapeseed later in the year.

(Reporting by Ratnajyoti Dutta; editing by Malini Menon)