Shimla, Oct 2 (Reporter) The southwest monsoon which set over Himachal Pradesh on June 27 has partly receded from the state and is likely to withdraw completely in the matter of a day or two, India Meteorological Department cumulative weather database claimed on Wednesday. Overall, the state recorded 600.9 mm of rainfall during the monsoon, which is 18 percent below the normal rainfall of 734.4 mm. Despite the shortfall, this volume of rain received still classifies the season as normal. Historically, this ranked as the 97th highest rainfall year out of the last 124 years, with 1922 holding the record for the highest at 1314.6 mm. The monsoon season in Himachal Pradesh during 2024 was characterised by both normal and deficient rainfall. The southwest monsoon entered the state on June 27, 2024, slightly delayed from the normal onset date of June 25, and covered the entire region by June 29. In June, the state received 46.2 mm of rainfall against a normal value of 101.1 mm, resulting in a 54 pc deficit compared to the Long Period Average (LPA). Districts such as Una, Solan, Sirmaur, Shimla, Mandi, Lahaul-Spiti, Kullu, and Bilaspur received deficient to large deficient rainfall, showing significant variability within the state. In July, the rainfall recorded was 180.5 mm, 29 pc below the normal value of 255.9 mm. Despite the overall deficit, some regions experienced normal rainfall. Notably, Kangra received the highest amount (581.5 mm), with districts like Kullu, Mandi, and Shimla recording near-normal rainfall, while other districts faced continued deficits. In August, rainfall showed an improvement, with 243.6 mm recorded, just 5 pc below the LPA. Some areas, such as Shimla, Sirmaur, and Bilaspur, experienced excess rainfall. This trend of scattered rainfall continued, with Mandi, Kangra, Solan, Chamba, and Una seeing normal levels, while Kullu, Hamirpur, and Kinnaur remained deficient. September ended on a more positive note, with 125.3 mm of rainfall against the normal of 120.6 mm, marking a 4 pc surplus. Certain districts, including Sirmaur, experienced large excess rainfall. Others like Shimla, Mandi, Kinnaur, and Kangra saw a slight surplus, while Lahaul-Spiti continued to face large deficiencies. Compared to the previous year monsoon, this year also marked extreme rainfall events, but comparatively, it was less intense. Several districts experienced extremely heavy rainfall, with Dharamshala and Palampur witnessing intense downpours on July 6, followed by more severe weather in Palampur on August 1 and Dhaulakuan on September 26. In total, there were isolated reports of very heavy rainfall for one day in June, six days in July, seven days in August, and three days in September. Cloudbursts, particularly in regions like Kullu, Mandi, and Shimla, caused catastrophic damage. Flash floods, triggered by these intense bursts of rainfall, washed away houses, bridges, and roads, isolating communities and cutting off essential services. The district of Kullu, in particular, was one of the worst-hit areas, where these events claimed multiple lives. Tragically, over 55 people lost their lives in these cloudburst-related disasters, with many others injured or missing. The hilly terrain and rapid accumulation of water following these sudden, intense downpours made rescue operations particularly challenging. Additionally, infrastructure damage hampered relief efforts, prolonging the suffering of affected communities. During the season, there are few spells of snowfall in the high reaches of Chamba, Dhauldhar of Kangra, Lahaul-Spiti, and Kinnaur districts, also considered less prominent features of low cloud monsoon. The state's cumulative rainfall was categorised as normal, yet the overall reduction raises concerns about water availability for agriculture and the potential increase in landslide risks due to concentrated extreme rainfall events...////...