Northeast India Faces Another Year of Erratic Monsoon

Shillong, Aug 19 : Northeast region stared at another year of erratic monsoons as most states of the zone recorded below normal rainfall and the weatherman apprehending that the loss is unlikely to be recovered.

Meghalaya so far has received 59 per cent less rainfall, followed by Manipur (minus 50 per cent).

Nagaland has recorded minus 30 per cent, Arunachal Pradesh minus 29 per cent and Tripura minus 22 per cent.

Though some 12 districts of Assam have received normal rainfall, the average deficit in the state still stands at minus 14 per cent, while Mizoram also has received 10 per cent less rainfall, according to the Indian Meteorology Department data.

During 1980-1990 only the year 1986 saw deficit rainfall, while in the 1991-2000 decade, only three years saw normal or above normal rainfall in the Assam-Meghalaya region, Met officials said.

The region has recorded deficit rainfall throughout this decade, with only 2003 witnessing 4 per cent above normal rainfall, indicating a gradual decrease in the rainfall in the region over the years.

Deputy Director General (Meteorology) of the Guwahati-based Regional Meteorological Centre HG Pathak said the location of monsoon troughs have been south of the normal position (foothills of Himalaya) and as such the movement of the monsoons have so far been westerly, towards Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, instead of Gangetic West Bengal and Northeast India.

"We have noticed such trends frequently in the past decade resulting in a change of route in the weather systems," Pathak said.

He apprehended that this erratic behavior of the monsoons might be linked to global warming and extensive study was needed to ascertain it.

Barring Assam and Mizoram, the other states of the region are unlikely to make up the deficit, met officials added.