Lucknow, July 28 - Uttar Pradesh received heavy rainfall within 24 hours of the state government's declaration that 47 of its 70 districts were 'drought-hit'.

'It is a delayed monsoon', said a senior official at the state meteorological department, as 57 cm of rain fell Monday.

'We were always of the view that this year's monsoon was going to get delayed; and you can see the heavy downpour that large parts of the state have received over the past 24 hours,' he said.

He was confident that the rain would continue.

Agricultural experts believe that even though a large part of the paddy area could not be sown due to the lack of rainfall earlier, the current rain would make up for a substantial part of the loss suffered.