Weather Update: Monsoon wreaks havoc across the country, IMD issues red alert in many states

Delhi in particular is likely to remain cloudy and receive intermittent light rains for the next one week. At the same time, incidents of lightning may occur in UP and Bihar. The threat of cloudburst and landslides in the mountainous areas remains constant.

New Delhi: Monsoon has made its tremendous presence in India this time. By mid-July, above average rainfall has been recorded in most parts. The Indian Meteorological Department has issued a warning on Friday, saying that the next 24 to 48 hours can be challenging for many states.

There is a possibility of strong thunderstorms and heavy rains in Rajasthan, Delhi-NCR, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir.

Delhi in particular is likely to remain cloudy and receive intermittent light rains for the next one week. At the same time, incidents of lightning may occur in UP and Bihar. The threat of cloudburst and landslides in the mountainous areas remains constant.

Flood situation is serious

Due to monsoon, flood situation has arisen in many states. Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur, Tripura, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Bengal, Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh are the most affected. So far 105 people have lost their lives due to floods and heavy rains in Himachal Pradesh. The water level of the rivers is rising rapidly and life is badly affected in many areas.

States with high rainfall

According to the rainfall data, Jharkhand has received 71 percent more rainfall than normal. The state recorded 595.8 mm of rainfall, while the normal rainfall is only 348.9 mm. Rajasthan has also received 271.9 mm rainfall as compared to the normal 125.6 mm, which is 116 percent more. Ladakh has also received 15.8 mm rainfall as compared to the normal 8 mm.

Impact on agriculture and economy

Monsoon is considered the backbone of Indian agriculture. 42% of the country's population depends on agriculture for livelihood and 18.2% contribution to GDP comes from this sector. While adequate rainfall benefits crops, excessive rainfall and floods can also cause damage.

This year the Meteorological Department had estimated that 106 percent of the long-term average rainfall could be received during the monsoon. However, some areas like Kerala, Punjab, Haryana and Tamil Nadu have received less than normal rainfall.