Southwest monsoon withdraws from Telangana, 54% excess rain this year

Hyderabad: The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), on 26 October, said the southwest monsoon has withdrawn from some parts of Telangana and is likely to withdraw completely from the state and the country around 28 October. Meanwhile, the northeast monsoon is likely to hit Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, coastal Andhra Pradesh, and adjoining areas of Karnataka and Kerala around 28 October.

India receives 70 per cent of rainfall from the southwest monsoon which is critical for the Kharif crops.

�

According to the Telangana State Development Planning Society, the southwest monsoon, which started this year in June, has a deviation of 54 per cent. The state’s cumulative rainfall from 1 June to 26 October was 1,249.1 mm against the normal 809.8 mm. The cumulative rainfall for the GHMC area during the same period was 1,211.2 mm against the normal 670.4 mm with a deviation of 80.7 per cent.

Last year, Telangana received 791.1 mm rainfall against the normal 720.4 mm during .

In June this year, the state received 172.8 mm of rain against the normal 129.4 mm; in July it received 267 mm rainfall against the normal 244.2; in August it received 390.7mm rainfall against the average 219.2 m; in September the state received 247.7 mm rainfall against the normal 127.8 mm; and in October Telangana received 170.9 mm rainfall against the normal 89.4 mm.

Between 14 and 18 October, Hyderabad received unprecedented rainfall causing flash floods and leading to the deaths of more than 50 people. The city also reported property losses worth Rs. 670 crore. The incessant rains that pounded the city occurred in a non-monsoon month. According to the meteorological calendar, June-September is considered the peak months for the southwest monsoon.

Around 193 mandals received an excess of 20 to 59 per cent rainfall this year while 262 mandals received more than 60 per cent rainfall. Meanwhile, 120 mandals in the state received normal rainfall and only 14 mandals saw a rainfall deficit till 26 October in the state.

�

“This year, the depression in the Bay of Bengal travelled west over Telangana and central India. Usually, it travels north-east. In a rare phenomenon, the depression formed in the Bay of Bengal in October and moved towards Telangana,” said Mahesh Palawat, the vice-president of Skymet. He added that Telangana will not receive much rainfall from the northeast monsoon which usually hits coastal Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.