📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Ministry of Home Affairs
Weather
Meghalaya sees >60% monsoon rain deficit as El Niño intensifies climate worries
✍️ India Today NE
🗓 07 Oct 2026, 05:17 PM
👁 20
The state of Meghalaya is experiencing a monsoon rainfall shortfall of more than 60 percent, attributed to the ongoing El Niño phenomenon, prompting heightened climate concerns.
Chief Minister Conrad Sangma told reporters that Meghalaya has recorded a monsoon rain deficit exceeding 60 percent this season, a situation he linked directly to the current El Niño episode. He warned that the shortfall could exacerbate water scarcity and affect livelihoods across the hilly state.
According to the Indian Meteorological Department, rainfall in the core monsoon months has been roughly 40 percent of the long‑term average for Meghalaya. The agency highlighted that the deficit is the steepest among northeastern states this year, underscoring the severity of the climatic anomaly.
Agricultural experts said the deficit threatens paddy sowing and the cultivation of other rain‑dependent crops, while reservoirs and river levels are already showing early signs of stress. The state government has begun contingency planning, including water‑conservation measures and targeted relief for vulnerable farming communities.
Meteorologists caution that El Niño conditions are expected to persist through the remainder of the monsoon, potentially deepening the deficit. Authorities are monitoring the situation closely and are prepared to activate additional emergency protocols if rainfall does not improve.
According to the Indian Meteorological Department, rainfall in the core monsoon months has been roughly 40 percent of the long‑term average for Meghalaya. The agency highlighted that the deficit is the steepest among northeastern states this year, underscoring the severity of the climatic anomaly.
Agricultural experts said the deficit threatens paddy sowing and the cultivation of other rain‑dependent crops, while reservoirs and river levels are already showing early signs of stress. The state government has begun contingency planning, including water‑conservation measures and targeted relief for vulnerable farming communities.
Meteorologists caution that El Niño conditions are expected to persist through the remainder of the monsoon, potentially deepening the deficit. Authorities are monitoring the situation closely and are prepared to activate additional emergency protocols if rainfall does not improve.