India’s monsoon rains cover entire country, still lower than average

Mumbai July 3 (BNA): India’s annual monsoon covered the entire country on Sunday, six days earlier than usual, but rain totals are 10% lower than average so far this season, the state-run Meteorological Bureau said.

The monsoon, the lifeblood of India’s $3 trillion economy, provides much-needed water to farms and replenishes aquifers and aquifers. It also mitigate the worst summer heat, reports Reuters.

In a typical year, the rain usually hits Kerala, on India’s southwestern coast, from around June 1 and moves north to cover the entire country by July 8.

This year, the monsoon arrived on the coast of southern Kerala on June 8, more than a week later than usual, and its advance was subsequently halted by severe cyclone Biparjoy.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said the monsoon made rapid progression this week and has now covered the entire country.

India received 10% less than normal rainfall in June, but some states received up to 60% less than normal.

IMD said on Friday that India is likely to receive an average amount of rain in July despite the possible emergence of an El Niño weather pattern.

Heavy monsoon rains in July should ease concerns about summer crop production, promising a higher level of income in the countryside where most Indians live. Since almost half of the country’s farmland lacks irrigation, Indian farmers depend on the monsoon.

MI