Agartala, Sep 1 (IANS) Despite heavy floods in Assam, the northeastern states have registered about five percent deficit rainfall this year, officials said here Monday. “The northeastern states have received 674.8 mm rainfall since the monsoon started June 1. It is five percent less compared to the average annual rainfall during this time of the year,” an official of meteorological department said.

The shortfall is highest in Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura while the situation is better in Assam and Meghalaya.

Experts however said the shortfall is unlikely to affect the agricultural output in the region.

“Agricultural output would not suffer although inadequate rainfall might affect production of tea,” said Biswendu Bhattacharjee, an environmental and agricultural expert.

Meanwhile, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) is contemplating making an automated weather forecasting system for the farming communities of the region.

“The central government would provide sufficient weather forecasting mechanisms at the village level to control the loss of crops, during the eleventh five year plan,” said N. Chattopadhyay, IMD’s agricultural meteorology division director.