VISHAKHAPATNAM: Heavy rains have lashed parts of north coastal Andhra during the last 24 hours.
According to IMD Amaravati, Seethanagaram in Parvathipuram Manyam district received the highest rainfall of 11 cm, followed by Machilipatnam (Krishna district) 10 cm, Avanigadda (Krishna) 8 cm and Peddapuram (Kakinada) 7 cm.
Despite these rains, the state is continuing to face a deficit rainfall of 26 per cent for the period between from June 1 to July 13. Senior IMD Amaravati scientist Dr. S. Karunasagar said the normal rainfall for this period is 143 mm. But the state has received only 105 mm of rain until now.
Guntur and Bapatla districts have received 59 per cent excess rainfall, while Vizianagaram, Parvatipuram Manyam, ASR, Anakapalli, Krishna, Palnadu, Prakasam, Nandyal, Chittoor are 19 per cent deficit in rainfall. Srikakulam, Visakhapatnam, Kakinada, Konaseema, East Godavari, West Godavari, Eluru, NTR, SPSR Nellore, Kurnool, YSR, Ananthapuram, Satya Sai, Annamayya and Tirupati have deficit rainfall ranging from 20 per cent to 59 per cent.
Total area sown in the state so far is only 3.63 lakh hectares (11 percent), as against the normal area of 34.39 lakh hectares, sources in agriculture department said. The sowing percentage is highest in Nellore district at 102 per cent, followed by Tirupati 97 per cent, Srikakulam 18 per cent, Krishna 16 per cent and East Godavari 12 per cent.
Dr. Karunasagar said many districts have recorded only 0 to 2 per cent of rainfall. However, the state is expected to receive good rains during the next two days, as a cyclonic circulation lies over north coastal Andhra Pradesh at 3.1 km above mean sea level.
Further, another cyclonic circulation, which earlier lay over southwest Bay of Bengal, has now moved to west central and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal between 4.5 km and 7.6 km above mean sea level, tilting south-westwards with height.
