Despite Week-Long Downpour, AP Faces Deficit Rainfall

Visakhapatnam: Despite week-long downpour, Andhra Pradesh still recorded a deficit rainfall of 22 per cent, according to a report issued by IMD Amaravati on Monday.

However, the shortfall for June and July would be made up by the present rains across the state due to the formation of a low pressure area over the northwest Bay of Bengal.

As per the data released by IMD, Andhra Pradesh received 151.6-millimetre (mm) rainfall between June 1 and July 24. This was 22 per cent less than the normal rainfall of 194.6mm.

Till July 24 (Monday), 13 districts including seven coastal and six Rayalaseema out of the state’s total 26 recorded “deficient to large deficient (8 per cent to 50 per cent deficient) rainfall”. Some 11 districts recorded normal rainfall and two districts (ASR and Krishna) excess rainfall.

IMD-Amaravati director Stella S said the recent rains improved the rainfall scenario across the districts. The rain deficit was of 37 per cent by June 30. By then, AP received 59.2mm rainfall against the normal 94.1mm. The deficit reduced to 22 per cent by July 24.

Krishna district recorded a rainfall of 381.8mm against the normal rainfall of 270.4mm, with 41 per cent excess, followed by 450.2mm rainfall in ASR district against the normal rainfall of 368.6mm, with a 22 per cent excess. Many districts will experience heavy rains from July 25 to 27.

Tirupati district received 77.7mm of rainfall between June 1 and July 24. The normal rainfall for this period is 160.7mm and the area was experiencing a 52 per cent deficit.

Nellore district recorded a deficit rainfall of 39 per cent followed by 38 per cent in YSR Kadapa district, 35 per cent deficit in Annamayya district and 34 per cent in East Godavari.

The scanty rainfall in the first two months of the southwest monsoon delayed the sowing of key kharif crops such as paddy and pulses in most districts. This, in turn, triggered fear among the farmers in both coastal and Rayalaseema districts, who had readied their farmlands to sow crops.