Deficit rainfall in first month of monsoon in Karnataka

Coastal and Malnad too see similar trend, South Interior Karnataka sees large excess

A month into the southwest monsoon season, Karnataka on the whole recorded deficit rainfall. Against the normal 208 mm, the State received only 167 mm, resulting in a 20% deficit.

According to the data shared by the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC), within the State, two regions, which usually receive heavy rainfall, have recorded lesser than normal rainfall. While Coastal Karnataka had a 33% deficit, receiving only 585 mm against the normal 873 mm, the Malnad region too saw a 46% departure from normal — an actual rainfall of 208 mm against the normal 384 mm.

Kodagu district in the Malnad region had the highest deficiency at -53%. Only Hassan in Malnad region, with an -8% deficit, recorded normal rainfall in both regions. All other districts in both Malnad and Coastal Karnataka recorded deficit rainfall.

South Interior Karnataka, on the other hand, had ‘large excess rainfall’ (over 60% and above) in the first month of the season. The region had 85% departure from normal.

Bengaluru Rural, with 186%, was the highest departure from normal across the state, receiving 198 mm actual rainfall against 69 mm normal. Bengaluru Urban was not far behind, also recording large excess rainfall with a 129% departure, receiving 166 mm against 73 mm normal rainfall.

North Interior Karnataka was the only region in the State that has received normal rainfall, with four districts in the region recording deficit rainfall - Kalaburagi, Belagavi, Haveri, Dharwad.

Overall, seven districts had large excess rainfall, two excess, 12 districts came under the normal rainfall category, and 10 had deficit rainfall, KSNDMC data showed.