According to the estimates by India’s Meteorological Department, the rainfall during this year’s monsoon season has been 22 per cent below long period average.

The low rainfall has depleted the level of water in Indian reservoirs to dangerously low levels and this could affect the winter sowing crops and could also result in a drinking water crisis by February. Many weather experts are comparing the matter to that in 2009, when India faced a devastating drought.

Even as the average estimate is 22 per cent below average rainfall, the rainfall has been 40 per cent below average in key crop-growing areas in the north and northwest. There are concerns over low rain fall in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana and Karnataka.

The country’s 84 important reservoirs are filled only to 19 per cent capacity which is 41 per cent lower than the previous year. There is still hope, according to experts as the situation could drastically improve if the monsoon leaves its lull show over the country and rainfall increases over states.

It is believed that lull in monsoon will end from Friday across north India but the outlook for the remaining season for this region appears to be low. Scientists have said that the monsoon path will shift towards the south from Friday and this will result in more rains in the region.

The weather experts also said that a upper air cyclonic circulation causing rains has already over the Bay of Bengal. Estimates show that the country has received 22 per cent less rainfall this year and the deficiency is higher at 40 per cent in the northwest region.