Interior K'taka to experience widespread rain

After a tepid start to the monsoon, there is something to cheer for. Widespread rainfall is forecast for interior parts of Karnataka. According to India Meteorological Department, south interior Karnataka will receive fairly widespread rainfall on Thursday, followed by a spell of widespread rainfall in the region for four to five days.

Similarly, widespread rainfall is forecast for north interior Karnataka from Sunday. During the period, monsoon is expected to advance towards the northern part of the state.

SSM Gavaskar, Junior Scientific Officer, Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Cell (KSNDMC) said that forecasts indicated a low-pressure area to develop in North Bay of Bengal in the next two to three days. "This will help the monsoon to advance towards the north of the country and might help the monsoon to intensify," he said.

Poor rainfall

IMD data also shows that Wayanad district, which is among the prime catchment areas for Cauvery river, has received only half the normal rainfall for the period. While normal rainfall for the district between June 1 to 18 was 341 mm of rainfall, delayed monsoon onset meant that it has received only 154.5 mm rainfall.

Similar conditions are observed in the Malnad region of Karnataka, where rainfall is deficient by 39%. Against a normal of 184 mm rainfall between June 1 to 19, the region has received only 112 mm rainfall.

The only region in Karnataka which has received normal rainfall, according to KSNDMC data was South Interior Karnataka - thanks to the heavy downpour in the first few days of June prior to the onset of monsoon. While rainfall has been deficient by 48% in coastal Karnataka - 225 mm rain as against a normal of 431 mm, north interior Karnataka has received 28% less rainfall - 44 mm rain against a normal of 61 mm.