Drought declared in three-quarters of India's richest state - EWN

MUMBAI - Drought has hit three-quarters of India's richest state of Maharashtra, the government said on Saturday, after prolonged low rainfall in the region home to the megacity of Mumbai.

The declaration in Maharashtra came after the national weather department forecast India would end its annual monsoon season with a rainfall deficit, threatening farmers' livelihoods.

A stronger-than-usual El Nino climate phenomenon, which typically brings drier conditions to South Asia, has also led to abnormal rain patterns, the weather department has said.

The government of Maharashtra, a huge western state whose capital Mumbai is India's financial and commercial centre, said drought was present across 74 percent of the territory.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the administration stood "firmly behind our farmer brethren" during the crisis.

The government will assess crop damage and "ensure that farmers, farm labourers and rural families receive the necessary assistance in a timely manner", his office said.

Hundreds of millions of people in India depend on the June-to-September monsoon to bring vital rains that sustain agriculture and industry.