September on course to be 'wettest' in 102 years
According to a report with the India Meteorological Department (IMD), relentless rainfall has put this month on course to be the wettest September India has seen in 102 years. Downpour this year has lifted June-September season’s rain to 9 per cent above normal, barely a percentage point short of excess monsoon rainfall.
As on Monday, all-India average rainfall in September stands at 247.1mm, which is 48 per cent above normal, along with being the third highest in India Meteorological Department’s records since 1901.
Further, the month's rainfall is likely to overtake 1983’s figure (255.8mm) by the end of Monday.
Meanwhile, red alert for very heavy rains has been issued in Bihar and Gujarat.
This year’s monsoon, which began with a delayed onset and a 33% rain deficit in June, will officially end on Monday with the country recording the highest rainfall for the four-month period in 25 years.
As on Sunday, the all-India average seasonal rainfall stands at 956.1mm, 9% higher than the normal of 877mm.
Monsoon has been active over the country almost without a break for over two months now. Cumulative rainfall in August and September so far is the highest the country has witnessed for these two months in 31 years.
By Monday, August-September rainfall could end up as the highest in 58 years (since 1961) and fourth highest since 1901, as per IMD’s records.
Such has been the monsoon’s vigour in the second half of the season that September has recorded just two days of below normal rains across the country. In August, that figure was 10, still low by normal standards.
At least 24 people have been killed in Bihar as heavy downpour continues to wreak havoc in the state. In the state capital, record rains caused heavy water-logging and did not spare the houses of the Deputy Chief Minister and two former Chief Ministers.
No respite is in sight with the Met Office predicting more rain in the next 24 hours and the state government has issued a "red alert".
The unexpected "heavy to extremely heavy rain" has so far claimed the lives of over 24 people - mostly drowned, across the state, officials of Disaster Management Department said.
The water level in major rivers including Ganga, Koshi, Gandak, Bagmati, and the Mahananda, are on the rise, threatening to breach embankments at many places.
The Water Resources department has alerted the officials concerned and asked the district authorities to take measures to deal with any possibility.
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