Shillong, Aug 1: Meghalaya, home to some of the world’s wettest places, witnessed an unusually dry July this year, with all districts except South West Khasi Hills recording deficient or largely deficient rainfall, IMD data showed.
Five of the state’s 11 districts received 50 to nearly 80 per cent less rainfall than normal during the month, while South West Khasi Hills was the lone exception, recording an 83 per cent surplus, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
Even East Khasi Hills district, home to Sohra, earlier known as Cherrapunji, and Mawsynram, registered a rainfall deficit of nearly 50 per cent, underscoring the severity of the dry spell in a region globally renowned for its torrential monsoon rains.
Sohra and Mawsynram are among the wettest places on earth.
The district, which normally receives around 2,796 mm of rainfall in July, recorded only 1,403 mm this year, the rainfall data said.
West Jaintia Hills recorded the sharpest decline with a 78 per cent rainfall deficit, followed by West Garo Hills, which received only 339 mm of rainfall against its normal average of 1,092 mm, a shortfall of 69 per cent.
East Garo Hills, Ri Bhoi, South Garo Hills and South West Garo Hills were among the districts classified as severely deficient, while West Khasi Hills, West Jaintia Hills, West Garo Hills, North Garo Hills and East Jaintia Hills fell under the largely deficient category.
South West Khasi Hills was the only district to receive above-normal rainfall during the month.
The prolonged rainfall deficit has raised concerns over the ongoing cultivation season, with experts warning that a continued dry spell could adversely affect soil moisture, groundwater recharge and river flows across the state. (PTI)
