Patna: Monsoon reached Bihar on Monday, almost a fortnight behind schedule. The India Meteorological Department issued a press note on Monday afternoon stating that the monsoon had covered parts of Bihar.
According to the map showing the advancement of rain-bearing winds, the monsoon covered most of the eastern parts of the state, including Bhagalpur, Kishanganj, Katihar, Purnea, Araria and Supaul. "The conditions are very favourable for advancement of monsoon and hence, we expect it to cover the remaining parts of the state in the coming two to three days," Patna Met office scientist Anand Shankar told The Telegraph.
As far as favourable conditions are concerned, a system prevailing in the northwest part of Bay of Bengal is giving impetus to the advancement of monsoon. Even the IMD, in its forecast, stated that rainfall is very likely at many places in the state from June 25 to 29.
Shankar said the state is expected to get 93 per cent of normal rainfall with a possible departure of 8 per cent from the expected rainfall.
Bihar gets 1027.6mm of rainfall in a normal monsoon year but for the past three years, the state has witnessed less than normal rainfall irrespective of the arrival date of the monsoon.
In 2015, monsoon had reached the state on June 22 and the rainfall recorded was 744.7mm, which was 28 per cent less than normal.
In case the rainfall deficiency touches 19 per cent mark, the state is said to be under the grip of drought.
In 2016, monsoon reached the state on June 16 and Bihar received 993.9mm of rainfall, which again was less than normal. The deficiency percentage stood at 3. In 2017, the state received 9 per cent deficient rainfall with a rainfall of 936.8mm and the monsoon had reached on June 16.
Even chief minister Nitish Kumar has expressed concern over declining rainfall in the state while speaking at the inaugural function of East India Climate Change Conclave on Sunday and quoting from IMD figures, he had stated that from 2006 to 2017, the average rainfall in the state stood at 912mm.
