An overcast sky, with few showers of rain. The monsoon has so far been kind to the rest of the State, but seems to have been tepid in the city.
According to the Indian Meteorological Department, rain in the city has been deficit, to the tune of 17% in June and July. The rainfall in June was 91.5mm, nearly 14% lower than the long-term average of 106.5 mm. In July, till late on Monday night, the city received 79.5mm of rainfall, a shortfall of more than 33mm.
The figures are even more worrisome if one considers data from Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre, which operates more than 6,000 rain gauges across the State. Bengaluru Urban has a deficit of 27% while Kolar has seen 23% lesser rainfall.
This is a far shot from the 2% deficit (considered ‘normal’ monsoon) in south interior Karnataka, where the copious rains earlier in the monsoon in Malnad has filled up reservoirs.
“The entire north interior Karnataka is facing a deficit, but in south Karnataka, only Bengaluru Urban and Kolar are facing major deficits. There does not seem to be any weather systems imminently, which would bring in more showers,” says G.S. Srinivas Reddy, Director of Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre.
Bengaluru Urban and Rural districts see agriculture activities in over 94,000 thousand hectares. Of the ‘normal’ sowing in 18,000 hectares till July-mid, just 3,000 hectares had been sown. This is the worst coverage in the State — primarily attributed to the lack of rain so far.
“If it rains in August, farmers can grow finger millets (ragi). Else, it’ll be distress,” said Mr. Reddy.
For the city dweller, groundwater could be a problem in the coming months, as very little rainfall has led to negligible recharging. An indicator is the surface water tanks. Of the 144 tanks in Bengaluru Urban and Rural districts, just 14 are more than half-full, shows data from the Minor Irrigation Department.