With the southwest monsoon stalled over southern Maharashtra, India is facing a nationwide rainfall deficit of 41% between June 4 and June 18, according to the latest India Meteorological Department (IMD) data. The country has received just 42.6 mm of rainfall against the normal 72.2 mm during the above-mentioned period.
Also read: What a ‘super’ El Niño would mean for India’s monsoon
The weather department said on Thursday (June 18, 2026) that “the absence of favourable large-scale meteorological conditions” was the key reason why the southwest monsoon has failed to advance further into the remaining parts of Maharashtra in the past few days. The IMD on Thursday (June 18) forecast heavy to very heavy rain in the sub-Himalayan districts of West Bengal for the next one week, though precipitation has largely eluded the southern districts despite the monsoon having officially entered the region.
While a rainfall deficit in June, the first of the monsoon months, is not unusual, it assumes additional significance in a year that forecasters globally have warned will likely be a ‘Super El Niño’ year.
Though the southwest monsoon arrived in Karnataka on June 4, the State has recorded an actual rainfall of 71 mm as against the normal of 109 mm for the period between June 1 to 18.
According to the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre’s (KSNDMC) June rainfall pattern, there has been a departure of -35%. Data for June 2026 so far shows that south interior Karnataka has received 44 mm as against the normal 48 mm, a departure of -6%, while north interior Karnataka has received 53 mm against 63 mm, a departure of -16%. Malnad and the coastal regions have recorded 89 mm and 191 mm, respectively, as against the normal 178 mm and 419 mm, reflecting departures of -50% and -54%.
Though the southwest monsoon arrived in Karnataka on June 4, the State has recorded an actual rainfall of 71 mm as against the normal of 109 mm for the period between June 1 to 18.
The Udhagamandalam Municipality faces a drinking water crisis with water levels at the major reservoirs supplying water to Udhagamandalam being severely depleted due to the lack of monsoon rains.
According to officials, the main reservoir supplying water to Udhagamandalam town, The Parsons Valley Dam is only 38% full with storage levels currently at 19 feet out of a total storage capacity of 50 feet. Meanwhile, the situation is even worse in the other reservoirs at Marlimund, Tiger Hill, Gorishola, Doddabetta Upper and Lower, Kodappamund Upper and Lower, Old Ooty and Glenrock being only at a combined storage of 17 percent of the reservoirs’ total capacities.
The lack of water in the dams and reservoirs has already led to problems for local residents, with people from around Pudumund, who get their water supplied from Marlimund lake complaining of poor water quality. R. Manju, a resident of the area said that residents had noticed that the water that was flowing through their taps was brackish and had a foul odour. “As a result, people cannot use this water for cooking or drinking, and many of us are forced to walk long distances to collect water from taps,” she said.
The Udhagamandalam Municipality said that more than 60 percent of the town’s water requirements are supplied from the Parsons Valley Dam. Officials said that while they were actively taking steps to ensure that there is enough water available for the town’s residents, that they expect the monsoon rains to increase water flow into the dam in the coming days. -- The Hindu Bureau
People living in several residential areas close to Uppanar drain in Orleanpet constituency are demanding more efforts to ensure the construction of road overbridge over the drain does not cause anymore flooding in their locality during rains.
Their concerns over flooding arise from their experience during a few hours of rain that lashed Puducherry in the first week of May. The heavy rain resulted in water entering the residential areas, such as Goubert Nagar, Kennedy Nagar, Poonkulam, Anthoniyar Koil Street, Vanjinathan Street, Kamarajar Street and Subramanian Street in Orleanpet constituency. The most-affected were the residents of Goubert Nagar and Kennedy Nagar as rainwater entered several houses in the locality.
Residents near Uppanar demand flood prevention measures during bridge construction, citing recent rain-related flooding concerns in Puducherry.
A week after widespread showers brought respite to Telangana including in Hyderabad, the State is once again grappling with intense heat, with several districts recording heatwave conditions even in the third week of June.
“The reason lies in an unusually sluggish southwest monsoon and lack of widespread cloud cover that typically shields the State from summer temperatures,” said GNRS Srinivas, Senior Meteorologist at IMD Centre Hyderabad. He further added that the southwest monsoon entered Telangana on June 8, but its advance has been much slower than usual. Typically, the system covers the entire State within two to three days after entering southern Telangana. This year, nearly ten days after onset, only around half of the State has come under its influence.
Slow-moving monsoon, weak cloud cover behind June heatwave in Telangana
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said that the monsoon has begun to retreat from Rajasthan.
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As heat and increasing humidity grip Mumbai, several residents, mostly slum dwellers, have started spending their nights on the shores of Versova beach to get some relief from the conditions of their densely packed homes.
Most residents live in settlements near the Versova shoreline and sleep on the beach to escape extreme heat, which becomes unbearable due to the poor ventilation in their homes.
Residents said the sea breeze provides some respite from the oppressive weather, leading many families to gather on the beach after sunset and spend the night there. They go about their business by dawn.
Speaking to ANI, a slum dweller said, “We sleep on the beach every day to escape the intense heat. It becomes very difficult to stay inside our homes because of the heat, so we come here at night.” -- ANI
Goa has a stock of drinking water that can last about one month, the government has said, as the coastal state is witnessing a lull in monsoon rainfall.
State Water Supply Department Minister Subhash Phal Desai told PTI that the water level at various reservoirs in the state has dropped drastically in the absence of rain.
“But there is no need to panic. There is enough water to fulfil the requirement for a month,” he said, adding that the state government will issue strict advisories to ensure that the existing water is not exhausted before that time.-- PTI
Goa faces a month’s drinking water supply amid delayed monsoon, but officials assure adequate measures ahead of expected rainfall.
Delhi woke up to partly cloudy skies on Friday (June 19) morning with the minimum temperature settling at 27 degrees Celsius, 0.5 notches below the season’s average, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). - PTI
According to the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre’s (KSNDMC) June rainfall pattern, there has been a departure of -35%. Data for June 2026 so far shows that south interior Karnataka has received 44 mm as against the normal 48 mm, a departure of -6%, while north interior Karnataka has received 53 mm against 63 mm, a departure of -16%. Malnad and the coastal regions have recorded 89 mm and 191 mm, respectively, as against the normal 178 mm and 419 mm, reflecting departures of -50% and -54%.
A week after widespread showers brought respite to Telangana including in Hyderabad, the State is once again grappling with intense heat, with several districts recording heatwave conditions even in the third week of June.
Published - June 19, 2026 08:42 am IST
Live news / rains / Monsoon / weather news
Source: The Hindu - India News
