The Northeastern region comprising eight hilly states is witnessing a rainfall deficiency of 27 percent in the first three of the four-month-long monsoon season, the Met said on Monday.
According to India Meteorological Department (IMD) officials in Guwahati and Agartala, the seasonal monsoon (June to September) rainfall is likely to be 93 per cent of the long period average over northeast India comprising Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura.
The eight northeastern states are divided into four meteorological sub-divisions.
According to IMD stipulation, if the monsoon rainfall recorded plus-minus 19 per cent it would be termed as normal, if it recorded plus 20 per cent it would be described as excess and minus 20 per cent to minus 59 per cent would be notified as deficient.
"Northeast India is one of the rainiest pockets of the country. During the Southwest Monsoon season and almost 30 per cent of the seasonal rainfall is contributed by this region," it said.
According to an IMD report, during the four-month-long monsoon period, Meghalaya's Cherrapunjee holds the record of being the second wettest place on earth, even as Mawsynram, also in Meghalaya, now holds the Guinness record for the highest amount of rainfall — 11,873 mm — in a year.
Cherrapunjee still holds the record for the highest amount of rainfall in a calendar month, with 9,300 mm of rain recorded in July 1861.
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