Himachal Pradesh Landslides, India Weather Live Updates: ‘Many houses, roads, and bridges are damaged…working to bring back normalcy’, says Uttarakhand CM Dhami

Delhi has seen a deficit in rainfall so far this monsoon season, having recorded 292.4 mm of rainfall from June 1 onwards, around 22% short of the ‘normal’ of 375.2 mm. The distribution of rainfall has been varied. East Delhi is the only district to have recorded excess rainfall so far this season – 600.9 mm against a normal of 463.3 mm, 30% above the long period average. In contrast, among the districts, Northeast Delhi has seen the largest deficit in rainfall this monsoon. The rainfall in Northeast Delhi was 54% short of the long period average.

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Saturday (August 20) expressed concern over the loss of life and property due to torrential rains and flash floods in various parts of Himachal Pradesh, in which 21 people were feared dead. Teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and state forces have been rushed to the spots to undertake relief and rescue operations where people have reportedly been stuck under the debris, he added. We explain what flash floods are, and why they are here to stay.

As many as 97 rain-deficient blocks across 15 districts in Jharkhand fulfil all parameters that define drought, as per an assessment report prepared by the state Agriculture Department. The state is yet to take a call on declaring drought in the affected areas. With IMD data for June 1-August 15 showing 18 districts as ‘rain deficient’ this kharif season, the department’s assessment report says paddy has only been sown on 5.4 lakh hectares till August 15 as compared to last season’s 16.3 lakh hectares (91% of the total area) for the same period. Overall, the report says, all five kharif crops — paddy, maize, pulses, oilseeds, and coarse cereals — cover (till August 15) only 10.51 lakh hectares against last year’s 23.4 lakh hectares for the same period.

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