Dikhyaa Mohanty 
Odisha has this year recorded its sixth monsoon rainfall deficient years in the last 120 years, informed the regional centre of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) in Bhubaneswar.
As per the official reports, in 2021, less than 29 per cent of monsoon rainfall has been recorded from June to August 2021. In the last 120 years, a deficit of 29 per cent or more were recorded in the years 1924, 1954, 1974, 1987, and 1999.
During the current monsoon season, the rainfall recorded in August alone is 204.9 mm, the fourth deficit rainfall recorded in August in the last 120 years. The severe deficit rainfall years in the last 120 years are 1965 (187.3 mm), 1987 (190.3 mm), and 1998 (203.5 mm).
The MeT Centre stated that in the three-month period of the current monsoon, only six out of 30 districts in the state were under the normal category and 24 districts under the deficient category. Four districts — Jajpur, Bhadrak, Bolangir and Angul — have a deficiency of 40 per cent or more.
It further informed that in August, only four districts recorded normal rainfall, while 18 were under the deficient category. Eight districts — Boudh, Sambalpur, Subarnapur, Angul and Bolangir, Kandhamal, Bargarh and Jajpur — are under the large deficient category. The absence of depression and less number of low-pressure areas only two observed over the Bay of Bengal during August caused less amount of rainfall. The monsoon trough was also located north of its normal position on most days in August, causing subdued monsoon activities.
The India Meteorological Department has forecast that the state would receive normal rainfall of 226.6 mm rainfall in September.
