PATNA: After two consecutive years of drought in 2009 and 2010, Bihar has received more than normal rainfall this monsoon with the weatherman predicting “heavy to very heavy rainfall” at isolated places even in days to come — from July 2 to 8.
Even though the monsoon this year is only few days old, Patna has already received 33cm of rainfall as against the annual normal rainfall of 116cm. The showers have also brought down the maximum temperature by 3 degree C while the minimum temperature has registered a downfall of 2 degree C.
Gaya received 85mm of rainfall during the last 48 hours and 318mm of rainfall since June 1 while Bhagalpur recorded 153.4mm of rainfall during the last 48 hours. While the maximum temperature fell down by 5 degree C at Gaya, the fall in Bhagalpur was of 3 degree C.
“The southwest monsoon has become vigorous in the state under the influence of the cyclonic circulation over Uttar Pradesh and neighbouring areas,” Patna Met director Animesh Chanda said and added Bihar in themonth of June received 44% excess rainfall — 243.5mm against the normal 169.7mm.
The rain has come as a boon for the farmers of the state with more than twothirds of the state’s population relying on agriculture for livelihood. Sufficient rain is expected to help them cross the foodgrain production target of 16 million tonne this year, sources in the agriculture department said.
In 2010, the state government had declared all the 38 districts drought affected. In 2009, 26 districts had been declared drought affected.
While the state received 682.6mm of rainfall in 2010, the year 2009 saw 871.3mm of raifall.