Rain brings respite, but horti crops take a beating

While moderate showers during the past two days has brought down the temperatures in the region, it has also caused damages to horticulture crops in various parts of the district.

Apart from this, damages have also been reported in various parts of the city, as a few trees uprooted in Siddharathanagar and Nazarbad in the city.

Meteorological department has forecasted that light to moderate showers will continue in various parts of the district during the next three to four days.

According to Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Cell (KSNMDC), Mysore taluk received a rainfall of 28.1 mm during the first two days of May.

Rainfall, however, was more intense in rural parts of the district, with an average of 33.9 mm rainfall during the same period. Heavy winds accompanying rains during the past few days has resulted in damages to crops such as plantain, mango and other vegetables.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, Nagaraj H M, Deputy Director of Horticulture department said that damages have been reported in Hunsur, Nanjangud, H D Kote and Mysore taluks of the district.

“Revenue, Horticulture and Agriculture departments will jointly conduct a survey on the extent of damage in the respective taluks and submit a report. In case of more than 50 per cent damage to crops, a compensation of Rs 12,000 per hectare will be provided under Central Relief Fund,” he said.

In case of mango crop, raw mangoes have dropped owing to heavy winds, he added.
Rain deficit

C Govindaraju, Station Nodal Officer of Integrated Agromet Advisory Services said that Mysore region has received 23 mm of rainfall during April, as against an average of 52 mm, which is a deficit of more than 50 per cent. During April 2013, the region has received 29 mm rainfall.

Speaking on the monsoon cycles in the region during the past decade, he said that while Mysore had received good rainfall from 2005-2008, rainfall has been less than average from 2009.

Against an annual average of 685 mm, Mysore received 448 mm in 2009, 581 mm in 2010, 644 mm in 2011, 561 mm in 2012, and 364 mm in 2013, which was the lowest during the last decade. Maximum rainfall during the past decade was recorded in 2005, with 1,150 mm rainfall.

Thunderstorms

V S Prakash, director of KSNMDC said that though thunderstorms were common during post-monsoon showers, it was more than normal during the current year.

 Owing to high temperatures, earth heats up drawing moisture from Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, resulting in a convective system, and formation of cumulonimbus clouds, which often result in thunderstorms, he said.

Govindaraju said that wind patterns too were contributing to thundershowers, as clouds were being drawn by both South Western winds and North Eastern winds at the same time, which was not a common phenomenon.