The India Meteorological Department (IMD) stated that the southwest monsoon arrived six days late but covered the entire India earlier than usual. Up to 16 states and union territories experienced below-average rainfall in June, with Bihar and Kerala reporting deficits that were 69 and 60% below average respectively.
States like Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana also received less rainfall than normal for June. "The monthly rainfall averaged over the country as a whole during July 2023 is most likely to be normal (94 to 106 per cent of LPA) and most probably within the positive side of the normal," IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra was quoted by media.
The long period average (LPA) of rainfall over the country during July based on the data of 1971-2020 is about 280.4 mm. The weather office said in its bulletin: “The Southwest Monsoon has further advanced into remaining parts of Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab on 2nd July 2023. Thus, it has covered the entire India om 2nd July 2023, against the normal date of 8th July (6 days before the normal date of covering the entire India)”.
The weather office added that in July, normal to above normal temperatures are likely to prevail over most parts of the country except some parts of northwest and peninsular India. El Nino conditions are expected to develop in July. Mohapatra added that in June this year, rainfall has been within the normal range.
12 killed in Gujarat
At least 12 people died last week as a result of unrelenting rain in Gujarat, which also affected life in Saurashtra and south Gujarat, where cities and villages turned into bodies of water. Ahmedabad was pounded with 58 mm rainfall last week. The torrential downpour caused massive gridlocks throughout the city, forcing residents to wait in lines for hours to reach homes. In Jamnagar city, which was pummelling by 221 mm of rainfall and converted into a lake, the monsoon wrath was especially ruthless, claiming four lives. Amreli and Botad districts each reported one death each.