Rain brings respite to south interior K'taka; north simmers

At least nine districts of south interior Karnataka  received moderate to heavy pre-monsoon showers on Thursday, and the rains may continue for two more days.

Apart from being a welcome respite from the scorching heat, the rains kindled hopes that the south-west monsoon may not miss its date with Karnataka in June first week.

S S M Gavaskar, scientist at Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre, said that in the last two days many districts of south interior Karnataka were receiving isolated moderate to heavy rains. Notably, north interior Karnataka did not receive rains.

The southern districts to get rains were - Hassan, Chamarajnagar, Kodagu, Chikmagaluru, Mandya, Ramanagaram, Bengaluru Rural, Bengaluru Urban and Tumakuru. Till May 8, scattered rains between 3 pm and 8 pm are expected in these districts, said Gavaskar.

Mysuru district recorded heavy downpour. A weather gauging centre of the KSNDMC at Lakshmipura, Krishnaraja taluk in Mysuru recorded 68 mm rains at 5.30 pm, which is considered heavy.

In Hassan district, Melagodu in Hassan taluk received 52 mm rain, while Somanahalli in Gundlupet taluk of Chamarajanagar district recorded 49 mm. Even Mandya was blessed with heavy rains with Kadalur in Maddur taluk recording 38.9 mm rain. In Bengaluru rural, Srinivasapura village in Nelamangala taluk received 56.6 mm rains.

Gavaskar said Kodagu and Mysuru districts are expected to get good rains. More than these two districts, adjacent Wayanad in Kerala has been receiving heavy rains. “This would naturally increase water level in the Cauvery basin,” he added.
 Asked whether moderate to heavy rain received now is a precursor to normal monsoon, the officer said it is too early to make any forecast.

He said normally April was cooler than May. But this time, May would be cooler in the state because of active pre-monsoon. Even North Karnataka is expected to get rain for a week in May, he added.