Rains disappoint many parts of state

The South-West Monsoon became fairly active in select parts of Karnataka over the last week. For the week-ended July 15, the state as a whole recorded an actual rainfall of 24 mm as against the normal rainfall of 61 mm, which is just 39 per cent of the normal departure. This is considered as bad rainfall compared to the corresponding period of last three years, except Malnad and Coastal areas. Thus the state as whole is classified under scanty category.

According to the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC), the rainfall was excess (more than 20%) in two districts, normal (-19 % to +19%) in four districts, deficit (-20% to -59%) in eight districts and scanty (-60% to -99%) in 16 districts. During the period, June 1 to July 15, 2012, the state as a whole recorded an actual amount of 187 mm of rainfall as against the normal rainfall of 328 mm, which is just 57 per cent of the normal rainfall.

 

South-Interior Karnataka
During the period, rainfall was normal in Kolar district, deficit in Chikkaballapur, Ramanagara, Tumkur districts and scanty in Bangalore Rural, Bangalore Urban, Charamarajanagar, Chitradurga, Davanagere, Mandya and Mysore districts. Among the 63 taluks, rainfall was excess in two taluks, normal in three taluks, deficit in 19 taluks and scanty in 39 taluks. Last year, for the same period rainfall was excess in seven taluks, normal in 28 taluks, deficit in 27 taluks and scanty in one taluk. Among the 281 hoblis, rainfall was excess in 16 hoblis, normal in 22 hoblis, deficit in 89 hoblis and scanty in 154 hoblis.

North-Interior Karnataka
During the period, rainfall was normal in Bidar district, deficit in Bagalkote, Belgaum, Bijapur, Gulbarga, Raichur, Yadgir districts and scanty in Bellary, Dharwad, Gadag, Haveri and Koppal districts. Among the 69 taluks, rainfall was normal in nine taluks, deficit in 29 taluks and scanty in 31 taluks. Last year for the same period rainfall was excess in 18 taluks, normal in 34 taluks and deficit in 16 taluks, and no rain in one taluk. Among the 277 hoblis, rainfall was excess in 10 hoblis, normal in 37 hoblis, deficit in 112 hoblis and scanty in 118 hoblis.

Malnad region
During the period, rainfall was deficit in Chikmagalur, Hassan, Kodagu and Shimoga districts. Among the 25 taluks, rainfall was deficit in 13 taluks and scanty in 12 taluks. Last year for the same period, rainfall was excess in one taluk, normal in six taluks and deficit in 18 taluks. Among the 128 hoblis, rainfall was excess in two hoblis, normal in seven hoblis, deficit in 59 hoblis and scanty in 60 hoblis.

Coastal region
During the period, rainfall was deficit in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada districts. Of the 19 taluks, rainfall was normal in one taluk, deficit in 15 taluks and scanty in three taluks. Last year, for the same period rainfall was normal in 13 taluks and deficit in six taluks. Among the 61 hoblis, rainfall was normal in 16 hoblis, deficit in 38 hoblis and scanty in seven hoblis.

As per Agriculture Commission 1976, during a week if rainfall is less than 50 per cent of the normal, then that week is called dry spell week. If such weeks are there for more than four consecutive weeks during crop-growing period then the area is said to be drought-affected.

During the Southwest monsoon season of 2012 (From June 1 to July 15, 2012) 119 hoblis have experienced four or more consecutive dry spells.