ADVERTISEMENTMonsoon rains were 36% below average in August and overall summer rains were 10% lower than normal since the season began on June 1, Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, director-general of the India Meteorological Department, told a virtual news conference. “Only some regions that were dry in June and July got better rains in August.”Due to a weak start, monsoon rains were 9% below average in June, with rains rebounding to 13% above average in July. After recording the weakest August, overall monsoon rains were 10% below average between June and August. The driest August has also set India up for its lowest monsoon rains in eight years. When El Nino hit monsoon rains in 2015, India faced widespread drought.
