📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Wann Majaw
Weather
Meghalaya Records 60% Shortfall in Monsoon Rainfall This Year
✍️ Highland Post
🗓 02 Oct 2026, 08:17 AM
👁 11
The state’s monsoon rainfall is 60% below normal, raising concerns over water supply and agriculture.
The Meghalaya government’s meteorological data shows that the monsoon this year has delivered only 40% of the average rainfall expected for the season, marking a 60% deficit. The shortfall was recorded across the state’s districts during the June‑September period, according to the Highland Post report.
Agricultural fields, especially those dependent on rain‑fed crops such as rice and maize, are facing severe stress as water availability dwindles. Reservoir levels in the state’s major catchments have dropped sharply, prompting worries about drinking‑water supplies for rural communities.
State officials have warned that the deficit could exacerbate existing water‑scarcity challenges and have urged farmers to adopt drought‑resilient practices. The Meghalaya Water Resources Department is monitoring the situation closely and is preparing contingency plans, including the release of stored water from existing reservoirs where feasible.
Experts note that such a pronounced shortfall is unusual for the region, which traditionally receives heavy monsoon rains. They caution that climate variability may increase the frequency of similar deficits in the future, underscoring the need for long‑term water‑management strategies.
Agricultural fields, especially those dependent on rain‑fed crops such as rice and maize, are facing severe stress as water availability dwindles. Reservoir levels in the state’s major catchments have dropped sharply, prompting worries about drinking‑water supplies for rural communities.
State officials have warned that the deficit could exacerbate existing water‑scarcity challenges and have urged farmers to adopt drought‑resilient practices. The Meghalaya Water Resources Department is monitoring the situation closely and is preparing contingency plans, including the release of stored water from existing reservoirs where feasible.
Experts note that such a pronounced shortfall is unusual for the region, which traditionally receives heavy monsoon rains. They caution that climate variability may increase the frequency of similar deficits in the future, underscoring the need for long‑term water‑management strategies.