Data sourced from the Met department shows that Punjab received deficit rainfall in August, even though a few days of heavy rain caused widespread damage in half a dozen districts last month. According to the Met office in Chandigarh, Punjab received 148.6 mm rain against the normal required 160 mm — which was 12 mm less than normal — in August. Even the cumulative rainfall recorded by Punjab this rainy season (from June to August 31) was 368.6 mm rain against the normal required 386.6 mm, a 5 per cent deficit. Out of three days’ heavy rain predicted in 7-8 districts of Punjab from August 17-19, just a day’s rain had drowned several villages in districts including Ropar, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Moga, and Ferozepur as the Sutlej and seasonal Budhki river overflowed. The Budhki also flows into the Sutlej before Ropar Headworks. Punjab, which had recorded 273.4 mm rain on August 16 against the normal 325.4 mm rain, had recorded 356 mm against the normal 339.3 mm on August 19. In three days — August 17 to 19 — Punjab had recorded 83 mm rain including 7.4 mm on August 17, 70 mm on August 18 and 5 mm on August 19. The IMD said that on August 18, Punjab received 1300 per cent above normal rain and on the same day, Himachal Pradesh, which had also contributed to floods in Punjab through seasonal rivers like Sirsa, Swan, got 1067 per cent above normal rain. In Punjab, out of 22 districts, 12 have received below normal rain till date, Ferozpur topping the chart with 42 per cent less rain. Interestingly Jalandhar, the worst hit by floods, has overall received 24 per cent less rain this monsoon till date, but recorded one of the wettest Augusts this year with 263 mm rain against the required normal 189 mm. Jalandhar was highly rain deficit till July 31, with only 95 mm rain against the required 281 mm — 66% less than normal. Sangrur, Moga, Ropar, Bathinda, Amritsar, Hoshiarpur too got less rain than normal. Experts in the Met department said that the government does not have proper arrangements in place to manage even a single day’s normal to heavy rain, which is leading to floods. On July 16 , Bathinda district was submerged in 2-6 ft water due to single day’s heavy rain. A senior officer in the drainage department said Punjab is in dire need of a fool-proof system to manage heavy rain in both urban and rural areas, otherwise such floods despite deficit rain will become quite common. In Punjab, the usual monsoon brings about 485 to 490 mm rain. Till date, Punjab has received 386.6 mm rain this monsoon, which will continue till September 30.
