The all-India rainfall for June 2024 stood at 147.2 mm, 11% short of normal. India received the lowest June rainfall this year since 2020 — the third consecutive year when the country’s rainfall in this month was below average, reported the Indian Express. The rainfall deficit was attributed to the delayed monsoon onset, by a week to 10 days in many parts of the country.
The outlet wrote, “being the onset month, the monsoon does not cover the whole of India and some rainfall deficit is normal. June rainfall amounts to 15% of the country’s total southwest monsoon seasonal rainfall of 880mm (1971-2020 data).” Rainfall deficit was reported from 17 states in June, whereas 19 states recorded normal or above normal rainfall, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The Southwest Monsoon arrived over Kerala on May 30 and progressed on time up until Maharashtra, where it advanced around June 9. Thereafter, the weak monsoon currents and the absence of favourable synoptic systems stalled the monsoon advance over the Eastern states of West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand, and Bihar, along with areas of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh, the newspaper reported.
Meanwhile, in a trend that is becoming severe every year extreme rainfall in July is wreaking havoc over certain parts of the country, but some others, particularly the rice-growing region in eastern India, continue to record deficient rain. reported HT.
The southwest monsoon intensified in July leading to unprecedented rainfall over the western Himalayan states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and the Konkan region.
Baheri in Bareilly recorded 460 mm of rainfall on Sunday; Banbasa in Uttarakhand’s Champawat recorded 430 mm, Chorgalia in Nainital recorded 310 mm; Panjim in Goa logged 360 mm; Tala in Raigad 290 mm; and Mumbai’s Santacruz recorded 270 mm in 24 hours between Sunday and Monday morning.
The newspaper stated that “some of this is unusual” adding that the weather office (IMD) categorises over 200 mm rain to be “extremely heavy” and most of the rain at these stations was not only beyond IMD’s “extremely heavy” category, but was also recorded in the span of a few hours. On the other extreme, eastern regions like Gangetic West Bengal continued to record 52% deficiency since June 1; Jharkhand 49%; Chhattisgarh 25% and Odisha 27%. Kerala also recorded a 26% deficiency.
Assam flood waters recede but situation remains grim, death toll touches 100
The flood situation in Assam remained grim even after waters started to recede in parts state, Business Standard reported. The toll in this year’s flood, landslide, storm and lightning has reached 100. A report by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said five more people lost their lives and over 14 lakh people are reeling under the deluge across 25 districts.
The flood situation improved marginally as the number of people reeling under the deluge in 27 districts decreased to around 18.80 lakh compared to almost 22.75 lakh people suffering from the deluge on Sunday, the officials said.
Dhubri is the worst hit with over 2.37 lakh people suffering, followed by Cachar (1.82 lakh) and Golaghat (1.12 lakh), the report said. The administration has been operating 365 relief camps and relief distribution centres in 20 districts, taking care of 1,57,447 displaced people at present.
Wildlife Board will now take call on clearance to projects in protected area
From now on, the standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife (SC-NBWL) will decide on clearance to projects in protected forest areas. The projects will not be considered for forest clearance unless standing committee of NBWL gives a nod, MoEFCC informed states.
The newspaper added that all project proponents can apply for environmental clearances, including forest and wildlife simultaneously, on Union environment ministry’s Parivesh 2.0 website and National Single Window System (NSWS) through which investors can apply.
Almost all decisions of the Standing Committee to clear projects in protected areas are not in compliance with Section 29 and Section 35(6) of Wildlife Protection Act, which specify that there shall be no destruction unless it is for the improvement of wildlife, experts have flagged.
Northwest India recorded its hottest June since 1901: IMD
June 2024 was the warmest for northwest India since record keeping began in 1901, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said, reported HT. The deadly heat spell over Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and other parts of the region killed at least 100 people, the report said, adding that at 31.73°C, the mean temperature over northwest India was 1.65°C above normal. The region’s average maximum temperature was 38.2°C, nearly 2°C above normal. The minimum temperature was the second-highest since 1901 at 25.44°C, 1.35°C above normal, the newspaper report said. East and northeast India recorded its warmest June in terms of night time temperatures, recording an average minimum temperature of 25.14°C, nearly 1°C above normal. Parts of Indo-Gangetic plains, northwest India, central and north India recorded 10 to 18 heatwave days in June (normal range is 2 to 3 days).
Africa to Vermont, mapping Hurricane Beryl’s 6,000-mile path of destruction
Hurricane Beryl, the exceptionally long-lived system (tracked for two weeks since June 28) traveled over 6,000 miles, passing through the Atlantic, the Caribbean, the Bay of Campeche and the Gulf of Mexico, making three landfalls as a destructive hurricane while setting records, reported the Washington Post.
Nearly two million households are still without power in Texas, two days after Hurricane Beryl hit the state, leaving “many to swelter in the baking summer heat without air conditioning”, reports the Financial Times. The hurricane caused widespread damage when it hit the US Gulf Coast on Monday, triggering extensive flooding and downing power lines, with at least 10 people killed, it adds. According to preliminary figures from AccuWeather, Hurricane Beryl caused up to $32bn worth of damages and losses in the US, reports the
Beryl has become the earliest Atlantic storm on record to become a Category 5 hurricane, killing six people in the Caribbean.
‘Wartime’ situation as worst flooding in 70 years hits country in central China
Local authorities in China’s Hunan province declared a “wartime” emergency situation after torrential rainfall led to “the most severe flooding seen in 70 years” in Pingjiang, a county of 1.2 million people, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported. It added that flood water in some areas was said to reach 3m high, and that more than 5,300 people have been evacuated.
The Miluo River – which flows through Pingjiang county and eventually joins the Yangtze – had reached 77.7 metres (255 feet) by 12.30am on Tuesday, the county government said.
That was the highest water level recorded since 1954, and it exceeded the alert level by more than 7 metres.
About The Author
You may also like
Climate change to pit timber production against agriculture: Study
“Exceptionally heavy” rainfall kills 28 people in Gujarat
Kill or keep: How a thorny invasive shrub is shaking up India’s ecosystem
Summer conditions extend to monsoon months in India: Study
Climate change fuelling the wildfire in Brazilian Pantanal : Study
