Southwest monsoon brings more rain to Nilgiris this yr

Udhagamandalam: The Nilgiris district has received more rainfall than normal in the past three months of southwest monsoon, which is still active in the hill retreat.
The amount of rain received in the hills from June to August alone is 1,018.62mm, compared to the average rainfall of 938mm that it receives from June to September.
While the average rainfall that the district this year was 628mm, lower than last year’s 789mm, in June and July it had received more rainfall than the comparable periods last year. In June, the average rain fall was at 152.36mm against 125.7mm last year and in July it had gone up to 238.26mm from previous year’s 224.34mm.
Last year, the Nilgiris had recorded 900mm rain on a single day at Avalanche, leading to landslides and largescale damage. Eight people had died. There was also loss of livestock due to the rain last year.
This year too, the hills experienced heavy rain in the first week of August. In the heavy wind and rain, several electric posts and trees were uprooted and crops were damaged. The rain also triggered landslips. Two people have died in the rain related calamities.
According to horticulture officials, the district had received more than sufficient rain this August too. “Though the southwest monsoon this year started late, the Nilgiris received a good amount of rain, which is favouring the tea gardens as well as vegetable fields,” said a horticulture department official.
L Kumar, a farmer from Kotagiri said, “The hills experienced devastation owing to the severe monsoon rain and strong wind, but the damages were limited to four taluks of Ooty, Kundha, Gudalur and Pandalur.” He said farmlands and tea gardens in Coonoor and Kotagiri have received adequate rain during August-end.