India's erratic monsoon threatens crops and power supply

India's monsoon is becoming increasingly unpredictable, swinging between severe drought and sudden heavy rainfall. This year, June was the fifth-driest on record, with rainfall nearly 40 percent below normal. Then in early July, parts of India, including Mumbai, received about a month's worth of rain in just one week. These extreme swings, driven by a strengthening El Niño and global warming, are causing problems for farmers and the power grid. About half of India's farmland depends on rain for irrigation, so the yo-yo pattern threatens crop yields and rural incomes. It also raises the risk of higher food prices. The erratic rainfall is also straining the country's power supply, as demand fluctuates and hydropower generation becomes less reliable. The weather pattern is expected to continue, with more dry and wet periods. Authorities are monitoring the situation, but the changing climate makes it harder to predict and manage the monsoon. This poses a serious challenge for India's agriculture and energy sectors.