New Delhi: India's southwest monsoon is showing alarming signs of stagnation, with satellite images revealing vast cloud-free regions over central and western India, while the national rainfall deficit has widened to 40%, according to the latest data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
A morning INSAT-3DS satellite image captured on June 17 paints a worrying picture. Large parts of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and interior Karnataka appear almost cloudless, indicating a significant weakening of monsoon activity over the country's core rain-fed agricultural belt.
The stalled monsoon has translated into a sharp rainfall shortfall. IMD's latest state-wise rainfall map for the period from June 4 to June 17 shows that India has received only 39.7 mm of rain against the normal of 65.9 mm, leaving the country with a 40 percent deficit.
Several major states are facing severe rainfall shortages. Maharashtra has recorded a staggering 79 percent deficit, Gujarat 98%, Jharkhand 66%, Chhattisgarh 65%, and Meghalaya 85%.
Karnataka, Telangana, Odisha, Bihar, and Assam are also reporting deficient rainfall. The situation is particularly concerning because these regions form a crucial part of India's agricultural landscape, where kharif sowing typically gathers pace during June.
