Rainfall deficit at 15% as monsoon retreats in northwestern India

The overall rainfall deficit across the country was reported at 15% by September 18.

Updated on: Sep 20, 2026, 08:31:22 IST

By Jasjeev Gandhiok

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The monsoon began withdrawing from parts of west Rajasthan on Saturday, two days later than the normal date of September 17, IMD said, adding that conditions were favourable for further retreat from parts of the northwestern state, Saurashtra and Punjab. The country’s overall rainfall deficit stood at 15% till September 18.

Vehicles move through heavy monsoon rain on a busy roadway , in Mumbai, India (HT Photo/File)

Information on monsoon withdrawal (HT Print)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jasjeev Gandhiok
Jasjeev Gandhiok is an Assistant Editor with Hindustan Times, where he covers environment, climate change, the clean energy transition and wildlife at the National Bureau. Gandhiok has over a decade of experience in journalism and is based in Delhi. He has reported extensively on Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR). This includes the region's air pollution woes, a polluted Yamuna and on urban wildlife still thriving in the region. He joined HT in October 2021. Prior to that, he had five-year stint at The Times of India in Delhi, where he also covered Delhi, with a focus on environment and wildlife. Gandhiok has covered some recent events around the Capital too, ranging from the farmers' protests, the northeast Delhi riots and the CAA-NRC protests, reporting from the ground on all of these. He also travels across the country to report on how environment and climate change impact everyday life, while also writing on endangered species. His reports in 2019 on toxic leachate from Delhi's landfills led to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) taking suo motu cognisance and ultimately asking the state government to start bio-mining to flatten and remove all three landfills in the capital. He also closely tracks the implementation of government policies on climate, renewable energy and environmental protection. His focus remains on impactful, public-interest journalism which explains how environmental decisions affect people's everyday lives.Read More

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