Imphal sees highest rainfall this year since 1956
Source: The Sangai Express / Courtesy Hindustan Times
Imphal, December 14 2017:
Manipur capital Imphal received the highest rainfall since 1956, recording 2,439.4mm in 2017 till December 13 or 68.71% above the State's annual precipitation of 1446.3mm, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research's (ICAR) Imphal centre has said .
Rainfall above 2,000mm was recorded only in 1991 (2,110.6mm) and 1993 (2,171.6mm), the centre's Joint Director I Meghachandra said in a press release on Wednesday .
Rain in January, February and November in the current year was below normal with 70.8%, 52.3% and 79.5% recorded respectively, he said .
In 2017, the highest rainfall was recorded on March 31 (103.4mm) and highest monthly record in December with 116.3mm of rains till December 13 .
The area received 1,967.5mm from June to September 24, 2017, against last year's record of 1,850.9mm rainfall .
The incessant rainfall, which started from December 9 and continued till December 12, was 116.1mm forcing the Miss Manipur and Orange Festival organisers to postpone their events.
A large area of paddy fields in Mayanglangjing area in the State was also submerged, forcing the local club to seek assistance from the authorities .
Officials of the Regional Meteorological Centre in Guwahati earlier claimed that Manipur was facing a 35% rain deficiency in this year's monsoon.
The State received just 883.1mm rainfall against its actual rainfall of around 1361.5mm during 2017 monsoon .
Manipur has witnessed floods as many as five times within a period of five months since Cyclone Mora hit the State in May this year .
So far, properties worth crores of rupees have been destroyed and at least 20 people have died.