Punjab, Haryana, Himachal record deficit rainfall in August

Chandigarh, August 31

Monsoon has not augured well for North India during August this year, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) reporting rains to be heavily deficient in Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.

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Rain in Punjab has been 56 per cent below the long period average, while in Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, it has been below normal by 48 per cent and 44 per cent, respectively. Punjab received 69.9 mm rain in August against the normal of 160 mm, Haryana 82.4 mm, while Himachal received 146.5 mm as compared to the normal of 157.2 mm and 262.3 mm, respectively. Nawanshahr, Faridkot and Bathinda were the only three districts in Punjab that received above normal rainfall in August. SAS Nagar was the worst-hit with a deficiency of 81 per cent.

In Haryana, Mewat received surplus rain this month, with the deficiency in other districts ranging up to 83 per cent. In Himachal, rainfall remained below par in all districts, with Lahaul and Spiti in the upper reaches recording a deficiency of 92 per cent, the driest this month. — TNS

Uneven spread

New Delhi: The country suffered from uneven monsoon rains in the month of August. While eastern parts of India like Bihar and Assam struggled with floods and swelling rivers, plains of the the northwest, including Punjab, Haryana and Delhi, registered a deficiency ranging between 32 and 56 per cent this month, despite heavy rains in several parts on Tuesday. TNS