Uttar Pradesh 40% monsoon deficit, orange alert for 19 districts
Uttar Pradesh is running seriously low on rain this monsoon, down by 40% so far, says the India Meteorological Department.
East Uttar Pradesh has it toughest with a 50% deficit, while West Uttar Pradesh is also lagging behind.
With heavy rain finally expected, an orange alert is out for 19 districts like Meerut, Jhansi, and Bareilly this Friday.
Over 40 districts on yellow alert
More than 40 districts, including Varanasi and Kanpur City, are on yellow alert for heavy rainfall. A separate alert covers 18 districts for gusty winds up to 50km per hour.
Since June, Uttar Pradesh has only seen about 69.5% of its usual rainfall: some spots like Rajapur got lucky with downpours, but others (like Lucknow and Chandauli) are still way behind.
Meanwhile, Sambhal actually saw way more rain than normal!