Mayank BhardwajRajendra Jadhav
3 minute read
A person rides a scooter through a waterlogged road during monsoon rain showers in Mumbai, India, June 4, 2020. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas/File Photo
India is likely to receive normal monsoon rains this year, weather officials said on Tuesday, upgrading a prior forecast and boosting expectations for larger farm output amid a devastating second wave of COVID-19 infections.
The monsoon, which is expected to hit the southern coast around Thursday, is crucial for India s $2.7-trillion economy, as it delivers nearly 70% of the rain needed by farms, besides replenishing reservoirs and aquifers.
The rainfall is expected to be well distributed, with most areas expected to receive an average to above-average amount, said Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, director general of the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
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