Ranchi, Sep 3 (IANS): The month of August did bring some rain, but that was not enough to make up the monsoon deficit in Jharkhand that stood at 28 per cent at the end of the month.

According to the data of the Meteorological Department (MET) Ranchi, Jharkhand received 593.6 mm of rainfall against an average of 829 mm till August end.

The total rainfall during the three months of monsoon - June, July and August, was short by 28 per cent below normal of the long term average.

Compared to July, August did pick up and the deficit came down from 37 per cent to 28 percent at the end of August, the data said.

"This year Godda district has witnessed maximum deficit of 64 per cent while in 14 other districts including Ranchi, Dhanbad, Bokaro and Hazaribagh, the rains were below normal between 20 to 59 percent.

"Nine other districts including East Singhbhum, Dumka, Jamtara and Koderma have received normal rainfall," said Director of Ranchi MET S.D. Kotal to reporters on Tuesday.

According to the MET bulletin, the South West Monsoon in Jharkhand has weakened in the last 24 hours.

However, on Sunday night and Monday, Ranchi, Ramgarh and some other districts witnessed rainfall with lightning. The department has predicted lightning and thundershowers in the South, Eastern and Central districts of the state.