New Delhi: The country received 936.9 mm of seasonal rainfall due to Southwest Monsoons this year, an increase of five per cent from the normal.

"Out of 513 meteorological districts for which data is available, 72 per cent received excess or normal rainfall and the remaining 28 per cent received deficient rainfall," a report issued by the Meteorological department said. The report said that 77 districts (15 per cent) experienced moderate drought and 30 districts (six per cent) experienced severe drought conditions at the end of the season due to rainfall deficiency of 26-50 per cent.

The report also cited the uneven distribution of rainfall "in space and time" as the reason behind the floods in many states. This year while the Southwest monsoon advanced over the south Andaman sea, Nicobar islands and part of southeast Bay of Bengal, there was an unusual delay in the withdrawal of monsoon from extreme West Rajasthan due to prevalence of cyclonic circulations, availability of moisture and sporadic rainfall over the region. The monsoon withdrew from western parts of Rajasthan and some parts of the state and Haryana on September 30, instead of the normal date of September 15. During the period of 1960-2006, the most delayed date of monsoon withdrawal from West Rajasthan was September 28 in 1964 and 1970.