IMD predicts isolated spells of heavy rain will continue across India; Maharashtra agriculture sector affected

Isolated spells of heavy rainfall are expected across many parts of India for the next four days, an India Meteorological Department forecast said on Friday. According to the forecast, heavy rainfall is expected across parts of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and coastal Karnataka on Friday. While heavy rainfall is likely to continue in the North East till 8 August, several parts of South India are likely to receive isolated spells of heavy rainfall between Saturday and Tuesday, the IMD report said. Heavy rainfall from the Southwest Monsoon is likely to cover parts of the Central and eastern India, including Jharkhand and West Bengal. It is to be noted that West Bengal  and the North East region have witnessed flooding and heavy rainfall since the last month, killing hundreds and affecting the lives of lakhs across the states. [caption id=“attachment_3892521” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters[/caption] Widespread rainfall from mid-August However, the IMD on Thursday said that it expected rainfall to revive in mid-August, The Times of India reported. The IMD also warned of a development of a cyclonic movement in the Bay of Bengal which could lead to widespread rainfall over Konkan region. “Light to moderate, but widespread, rainfall over Konkan could be expected from August 6 because of the formation of a cyclonic circulation over the northern parts of Bay of Bengal and its west-northwest movement across central India. Satellite imagery of the northern parts of Bay of Bengal shows clouding, indicating the formation of the cyclonic circulation,” an IMD official told The Times of India. North East receiving uneven rainfall Even as Assam and other northeastern states witnessed flood fury, North East India experienced uneven monsoon rains, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Thursday. According to an IMD report, last year also, seven northeastern states, except Sikkim, witnessed deficient rainfall during the monsoon (June-September). “Assam and Meghalaya sub-division and Arunachal Pradesh sub-division recorded around 20-21 percent deficient rains in the first two months (June and July) of the four-month monsoon period,” the IMD report said. “Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura sub-division recorded 12 percent excess rainfall in June and July,” the report added. The seven northeastern states are divided into three sub-divisions — Assam and Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura. According to the IMD report, Assam and Meghalaya sub-division recorded 849.8 millimetres rainfall in June and July against the average of 1,068.3 millimetres. Arunachal Pradesh sub-division witnessed 824.8 millimetres rainfall during this period against an average of 1,047.1 millimetres. The Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura sub-division recorded 938.2 mm of rainfall against an average of 840.3 millimetres. Erratic rainfall affecting agriculture sector Erratic distribution flooded some areas of India and left others in drought, which has clouded the outlook for key summer-sown crops more than midway through the season. The uneven rains could lead to lower food grain output despite bigger planting areas, forcing India to raise imports of edible oils, sugar and pulses, and potentially limiting exports of cotton, rice and feed ingredients, traders told Reuters. “Where it is not necessary, rainfall is abundant. Here, we badly need rains, but we haven’t got them in a fortnight,” Netaji Surywanshi, a soybean farmer from Maharashtra told Reuters on Wednesday. Marathwada region in Maharashtra has received at least 21 percent below normal rainfall till August. On the other hand, IMD’s forecast of erratic rainfall in the North East region has not worried experts. An expert of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) told IANS that deficient rains would not affect crops in the North East region as there was good pre-monsoon rainfall recorded in most parts of the region. With inputs from agencies