Ranchi, Sep 30 (PTI) Jharkhand has received 26 per cent deficient rainfall this monsoon, according to the quantification by the IMD which ended in the state on Saturday, a weather official said.
Rain activity over Jharkhand may, however, continue till October 4 with possibility of heavy rainfall in parts of the state under the influence of a low-pressure system, Abhishek Anand, in-charge of Ranchi Meteorological Center told PTI.
Officially the rainfall from June 1 to September 30 is considered as monsoon rain by IMD and the rest from October 1 as post-monsoon rain. Monsoon generally withdraws from Jharkhand by October 10-12, the official said.
A deviation of 19 per cent rainfall, either surplus or deficit, is considered to be normal by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The state has received 752 mm of rainfall from June 1 to September 30 against the normal rainfall of 1022.9 mm during the period. In the first two months of monsoon the state’s overall rainfall deficit was at 44 per cent.
“Despite scanty rainfall in the first two months of the monsoon, the overall rain count ended with 26 per cent deficiency in Jharkhand due to good rainfall in August and September. In 2022 the deficiency was at 20 per cent, which was close to normal,” Anand said.
As many as 12 districts out of total 24 faced rainfall deficit between 30 and 51 per cent. Chatra recorded the highest rain deficit of 51 per cent.
“Rain distribution has been good in southern Jharkhand and Santhal Parganas region, while it has been comparatively weak in north Chotanagpur and Palamu region,” he said.
Anand said that widespread rainfall is expected in most parts of Jharkhand till October 4 due to a low pressure system over northwest Bay of Bengal. “It (the system) is likely to move west-northwestwards across north Odisha and adjoining West Bengal during the next 24 hours”.
He also warned of heavy rainfall in Gumla, Khunti, Simdega and West Singhbhum districts on October 1.
Due to scanty rainfall in the first two months of the monsoon this year, Jharkhand recorded paddy sowing coverage of 63.62 per cent during the kharif season. The paddy coverage was recorded below 50 per cent in 11 districts. Palamu recorded the lowest sowing at 10.33 per cent, while Chatra and Dhanbad recorded at 16.35 and 16.61 per cent respectively.
The overall crop sowing coverage including paddy, maize, pulses, oilseeds and coarse cereals was recorded at 62.37 per cent, according to the coverage data of the agriculture department. PTI SAN KK SAN KK
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