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GANGTOK, JULY 9: Sikkim is faced with its worst monsoon deficit in five years currently, as a 35% rainfall shortage was reported from June 1 to July 8, 2025. This was established by the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) Meteorological Centre at Gangtok, which is raising alarm over the effects on agriculture, water resources, and the state’s fragile ecological balance.
Five of Sikkim’s six districts have deficient rainfall so far this monsoon, said GN Raha, Director of Gangtok’s Meteorological Centre. The sudden fall in rainfall is already causing anxiety about lower production of crops and tightened water supplies, both for irrigation and drinking.
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Of the districts affected, Gyalshing has been most severely hit, with a 49% deficit in rainfall. Gangtok trailed closely with a 37% deficit, followed by Mangan, Pakyong, and Namchi with deficits of 34%, 23%, and 20% respectively. Soreng district alone was within the “normal” range of rainfall with a 13% divergence from the season average.
This year’s rainfall deficiency is a stark departure from Sikkim’s climatic conditions over the past four years. In 2024, the state experienced an excess rainfall of 68%, while 2023, 2022, and 2021 witnessed surpluses of 18%, 44%, and 15%, respectively, based on IMD data.
Environmentalists are sounding an alert that if the monsoon fails to revive in the next few weeks, the implications would be severe. Lower rainfall not only jeopardizes short-term agricultural yields and water availability but also places greater pressure on Sikkim’s highly sensitive Himalayan environment.
