Unusual scenes are being witnessed in the district during the current monsoon with the majority of natural streams and rivulets overflowing at several places, and check dams and minor irrigation tanks filled to the brim.
On the downside of the excess rainfall is the water stagnation in cotton fields in the black soils and groundnut farms in red soils. At several places in Yadiki, Peddavaduguru and Vidapanakal streams were overflowing blocking traffic in these mandals on Saturday. The police intensified vigil for likely flash floods.
Several such scenes have become common for the past one week with the district witnessing 48 rain days during the 118 days of 2020-21 southwest monsoon, a phenomenon witnessed last only in 2008, according to Rekulakunta Agriculture Research Station agrometeorologist K. Ashok Kumar.
Against an average annual rainfall of 552.4 mm for Anantapur district, during the current rainy season 537 mm was realised in 118 days against an average of 317.5 mm recording an excess of 69.1% for these four months.
“It is very heartening to see 48 rain days during the monsoon and there is a forecast of light to moderate rainfall in the district for the next four days,” Mr. Ashok Kumar added.
The district witnessed 23 mm of rainfall from Friday morning to 8.30 a.m. on Saturday.