The East and North-East Indian region has received 42% lower rainfall, while South India has received 21% lower-than-normal rain. | Photo Credit: SRIDHAR KAVALI

Storage in India’s 166 major reservoirs dropped to 27.5 per cent of the overall capacity this week. The development comes on the heels of the South-West Monsoon playing truant this year, due to the emergence of El Nino. So far, rainfall since the monsoon season began is 48.5 mm compared to the normal 80.6 mm.

Storage this year is lower than a year ago, with only 1 in 5 reservoirs being half-full. Monsoon is 40 per cent deficient as of June 18, with central India, a key region for kharif crop production, facing 62 per cent deficit. 

The East and North-East Indian region has received 42 per cent lower rainfall, while South India has received 21 per cent lower-than-normal rain. North-West India, another key kharif crop growing region, is  a little better with its deficiency being 2 per cent, thanks to western disturbances. 

Published on June 19, 2026