The 2024 southwest monsoon season officially concluded on Monday, with India recording 934.8 mm of rainfall, which is the highest since 2020. During this monsoon season, extreme weather events resulted in the deaths of 1,492 people across the country.

The India Meteorological Department announced that above-normal rainfall is expected in central, southern peninsular, and northeast India from October to December.

Central India received 19 per cent more rainfall than the long-period average, while the southern peninsula recorded 14 per cent more and northwest India saw a 7 per cent increase.

In contrast, east and northeast India experienced a 14 per cent deficit in rainfall.

Overall, the country faced an 11 per cent deficit in June, followed by excess rainfall in subsequent months.

Only three meteorological subdivisions reported deficient rainfall this season while India is divided into 36 meteorological subdivisions, of which 21 recorded normal rainfall, 10 experienced excess rainfall, and two saw a significant surplus.

BY Syed Ayan Mojib

The data revealed that 895 people lost their lives due to floods and rain-related incidents, while 597 fatalities were caused by thunderstorms and lightning strikes during the monsoon season.

According to the data, 17 people died from heatwaves -- 13 in Jharkhand and four in Rajasthan -- during the early part of the season.

Kerala, which witnessed devastating landslides in the ecologically fragile Wayanad district on July 30, recorded 397 deaths due to floods and heavy rains.

Assam and Madhya Pradesh recorded 102 and 100 deaths, respectively, due to floods and heavy rains.

In the national capital, 13 deaths were reported as a result of floods and heavy rains.

The data also revealed that Madhya Pradesh recorded the highest number of deaths (189) due to thunderstorms and lightning strikes, followed by Uttar Pradesh (138), Bihar (61), and Jharkhand (53).

BY Jheelum Basu

The IMD has forecast above-normal maximum temperatures across most of the country in October, with exceptions in certain areas of central India and the southern peninsula.

IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra announced expectations for increased rainfall in the southern peninsula during the post-monsoon season (October to December), specifically in five meteorological subdivisions: Tamil Nadu, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema, Kerala, and south interior Karnataka. The region is projected to receive more than 112 per cent of the long-period average rainfall of 334.13 mm.

Above-normal rainfall is anticipated in parts of central India and some areas of northeast India. In contrary, most of northwest India, parts of northeast India, and the southernmost regions are expected to see normal to below-normal rainfall.

The IMD predicts above-normal rainfall for the country overall in October, estimating it to exceed 115 per cent of the long-period average of 75.4 mm.

While many areas are expected to benefit from increased rainfall, some pockets in northeast and northwest India, as well as parts of the southern peninsula, may experience less than normal precipitation.

(With PTI inputs)lucky panda

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