Dakshina Kannada district, Rain deficit goes up to 55%

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Sep 20, 2016: The  Karnataka coast is witnessing unusual freakish weather with rains at night since the past fortnight and trying to make up for the deficit in July and August months.

But in spite of good rains in the last 10 days, the deficit is more than 853 mm compared to what the district should have received from January to September. With just 12 days to go, with about an average of 18 cms of rainfall daily, the deficit is unlikely to be made up.

If July month had seen a 23% deficit, August was no better. The rainfall deficit doubled to 55%. The average cumulative rainfall for the August month is 856 mm and the rainfall received this year was just 555 mm, which is nearly 30mm less than what the district had received in August last year.

Even taluks have received less rainfall than last year, which was perceived as worst for the district last year, barring Belthangady taluk. Belthangady taluk has received good rainfall at 764mm which is 173mm more than what the taluk received last year in the same period. But other taluks have received much less. While Bantwal received 501mm (last year 588mm), Mangaluru received 449 mm (last year 517mm). Puttur taluk received 523mm (last year 635mm) and Sullia taluk received 537mm, which is 41mm less than what the taluk received last year at 578mm.

The district receives a total average rainfall of 3,912 mm per year, with Belthangady and Puttur receiving highest rainfall at 4,509 mm and 4,017 mm.

Even the total rainfall from January to August this year has seen a marginal increase this year. The district received 2,584mm of rainfall last year. This year it is 2,596 mm of rainfall, an increase of 12mm. This rainfall is nowhere near the average rainfall the district receives in the first eight months of the year which is 3,249 mm.