Bhubaneswar, June 30 -- India has witnessed one of its driest starts to the monsoon season in more than a century, with June rainfall falling significantly below normal levels. According to data released by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday, the country recorded its fifth driest June since record-keeping began in 1901, highlighting the impact of a delayed southwest monsoon on weather conditions and agricultural activity.

The weather department said India received just 99.5 mm of rainfall in June, well below the long-term average of 165.3 mm, resulting in a rainfall deficit of 39.8 per cent. It was also the driest June the country has experienced in more than a decade.

The substantial shortfall in rainfall has been att...