And eventually, giving a respite from the mercury mayhem, the country has bathed with a bliss from heaven, the much awaited monsoon shower. In last 3 days, total rainfall has marked an 11% rise than normal.
This increase in rainfall will boost planting of crops that had lagged behind so far, and replenish water reservoirs that irrigate fields and feed hydropower plants, according to a news report in The Economic Times.
However, it would be premature to celebrate as the weather office expects a shortfall of 12% in the monsoon's often-erratic, four-month
Rainfall was 76% more than normal in the past 24 hours, accelerating from an excess of 46% on Saturday and 22% on Friday. The turnaround has been dramatic in the oil seed growing regions of central India, where rainfall since June 1 was 31% in deficit on June 10, but is now 12% higher than normal. The region received three times the normal rain in the past day. The monsoon has now covered entire Maharashtra, and extends up to Surat,
The good news is that it is poised to extend to more areas in a few days, the India Meteorological Department said in its latest forecast on Sunday.
"Conditions are favourable for further advance of southwest monsoon into some more parts of north Arabian Sea, Gujarat state,
The weather office expects the rainfall to continue in the days ahead. Rainfall is expected in many cities including Bangalore, Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Bhubaneswar, Visakhapatnam, Indore,
"When rainfall comes after a dry phase, farmers quickly plant crops and make up for the lost time. The recent increase in rainfall is very favourable," an agriculture ministry official told the financial daily. So far farmers have planted rice on a bigger area than last year, but pulses, coarse cereals and cotton sowing has declined, compared to last year.
(Image: Reuters)