Monsoon to remain vigorous in September after record August rains: IMD

August rainfall in North India was the highest since 2001 and the 13th highest since 1901, with IMD warning of floods, landslides and crop damage if rains persist in September

After record rains lashed most parts of north and south India in August, the southwest monsoon is expected to remain vigorous in September as well, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Sunday.

 

The IMD predicted the all-India cumulative rainfall to be “above-normal” for the month at 109 per cent of the long period average (LPA). LPA is the rainfall recorded over a particular region for a given interval averaged over a long period of time, like 30 years or 50 years.

 

More heavy downpour could aggravate the already grim situation in the hill states, which have seen massive damage to lives and property due to relentless rains all through August. Also, surplus rains in September could damage the standing kharif crops due to lodging and inundation in fields.

 

Till August 22, kharif crops have been sown in around 107.39 million hectares, which is 3.54 million hectares more than the area covered during the same period last year, with paddy and maize leading the way.

The LPA for September is 167.9 millimetres, which is the last of the four-month monsoon season.

 

The IMD said that most regions will receive normal to above-normal rainfall in September, barring a few areas in the northeast and east, as well as many parts of extreme southern peninsular India and some pockets of northwest India. It also said that there is no sign of any withdrawal of monsoon at least for the next two weeks and on the contrary, there is a strong possibility of more low pressure areas. It also said that since 1980, there has been a slight increase in the trend in September rainfall.

 

Flash floods expected in Uttarakhand

 

Addressing an online press conference, IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra warned that heavy rainfall could trigger landslides and flash floods in Uttarakhand in September and potentially disrupt normal life in south Haryana, Delhi and north Rajasthan. “Many rivers originate in Uttarakhand. So, heavy rainfall means many rivers will be flooded, and it will impact cities and towns downstream. So, we should keep this in mind,” he said.

 

He added that heavy rainfall is also expected in the upper catchment areas of the Mahanadi river in Chhattisgarh.

 

Meanwhile, IMD also said that August rainfall in northwest India was the highest since 2001 and 13th-highest since 1901. North-West India received 260.5 millimetres of rainfall in August, which was a whopping 34.4 per cent more than normal.

The region has experienced above-normal rainfall in all three months of the monsoon season so far. Rainfall in June was 111 mm, 42 per cent above normal, while July saw 237.4 mm, 13 per cent above normal.

 

Cumulatively, northwest India received 614.2 mm of rain between June 1 and August 31, about 27 per cent higher than the normal of 484.9 mm.

 

Punjab suffered its worst flooding in decades, with swollen rivers and breached canals inundating thousands of hectares of farmland and displacing millions of people.

 

In the Himalayan states, cloudbursts and flash floods triggered landslides and caused widespread damage.

 

Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand reported washed-out bridges and roads, while Jammu and Kashmir witnessed repeated cloudbursts and landslides.

 

Western disturbances led to surplus rain

 

The IMD attributed the surplus rain to active monsoon conditions supported by frequent western disturbances that enhanced rainfall over the region.

 

South Peninsular India recorded 250.6 mm of rainfall in August, about 31 per cent above normal, making it the third-highest for the month since 2001, and the eighth-highest since 1901, the IMD said.

 

Cumulatively, the region received 607.7 mm of rain between June 1 and August 31, against a normal of 556.2 mm, a surplus of 9.3 per cent.

 

The entire country received 268.1 mm rainfall in August, about 5 per cent above normal, and 743.1 mm rainfall in the three months of June to August, around 6 per cent above normal.