Rains 7% deficient in August so far after a surplus July, shows data

The cumulative monsoon shortfall across India as on August 21 was around 7 per cent, which at the start of August was The cumulative monsoon shortfall across India as on August 21 was around 7 per cent, which was a surplus by 5 per cent at the beginning of August. The long dry spell in August across nearly all regions of the country, except for the foothills of the Himalayas and northeastern states, has resulted in a rainfall deficit of around 36 per cent compared to the normal levels for August alone. This is one of the worst deficits in recent memory. While the dry spell has started to end in several areas with the return of rains, the crucial question is how vigorous the rains will be moving forward. Usually, the monsoon starts retreating from parts of Rajasthan in the first week of September.