Guwahati: All seven northeastern states are facing a huge rainfall deficit even after the onset of monsoon about 10 days ago and almost on a normal date.The India Meteorological Department (IMD) data showed on Thursday that Meghalaya and Manipur were facing “large deficit” rainfall, while the remaining northeaster states were facing “deficit” rainfall since June 6, when the monsoon arrived in the region.The deficit in rainfall below normal has been highest at 86% for Meghalaya, followed by a deficit of 69% for Manipur. The deficit in rainfall below normal in other northeastern states are — Arunachal Pradesh (50%), Assam (39%), Nagaland (51%), Mizoram (29%) and Tripura (33%).According to IMD data, between June 1 and Thursday, Arunachal Pradesh received 120.2 mm of rainfall, Assam 145.4 mm, Meghalaya 55.7 mm, Nagaland 72 mm, Manipur 53.7 mm, Mizoram 174.1 mm, and Tripura 181.4 mm.Among the 11 states in eastern India, Jharkhand is the third state after Meghalaya and Manipur to receive “large deficit” rainfall since June 6. Sikkim and West Bengal are the only two states in east India that received “normal” rainfall during the period.The east and northeastern region have received “deficit rainfall” from June 6 to 18. Of the four meteorological regions of IMD, only north west India received normal rainfall during this period.A senior IMD official said the monsoon is yet to gain momentum in the northeast, though conditions are favourable for heavy to very heavy rainfall in isolated places in the region. “In the next five to six days, heavy to very heavy rain is expected in isolated places, which is likely to reduce the rainfall deficit in northeast,” the official said.The Met office has forecast moderate rain across Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya on Friday, with many places in Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura also likely to receive moderate rainfall.For the next two days, it has warned of heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places over Assam and Meghalaya, while havy rain is very likely at isolated places in Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Tripura.
