Monsoon starts withdrawal; five subdivisions receive deficient rains

After bringing bountiful showers across large parts of India, the south-west monsoon has embarked on its return journey, beginning from western Rajasthan and Kutch. The process of withdrawal of the southwest monsoon, which has brought five per cent excess rains across the country, started on Monday, but the weather office has forecast widespread rains in several regions over the coming week. "Southwest monsoon has withdrawn from some parts of West Rajasthan and Kachchh on September 23, 2024 against the normal date of September 17. Conditions are favourable for further withdrawal of southwest monsoon from some more parts of West Rajasthan and adjoining areas of Punjab, Haryana and Gujarat during next 24 hours," the India Meteorological Department said. While most of the country received normal to excess showers, five of the 36 meteorological subdivisions experienced deficient rainfall -- Jammu and Kashmir (-26 per cent), Himachal Pradesh (-20), Arunachal Pradesh (-30 per cent), Bihar