BENGALURU: After torrential downpour that ravaged Kodagu district and neighbouring Kerala in August, a period of dry spell has hit Karnataka owing to which the state has received only around one-fifth of the normal rainfall in September. Dry conditions, according to weathermen, will prevail over the state till the third week of September after which monsoon conditions are expected to improve. This dry spell is likely to affect agricultural activities.
During the next two days, however, light to moderate rain is forecast for parts of south-interior Karnataka.
C S Patil, director-in-charge, India Meteorological Department, said there was no indication of revival of monsoon conditions for next seven to ten days.
S S M Gavaskar, a scientist at Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Cell, said forecasts had indicated below normal to normal rainfall for Karnataka in September. Rainfall, however, has been scanty — wherein it is less by 60-99% as against the normal — across the state, he said.
Between June 1 and September 10, rainfall has been deficient by 33% in north-interior Karnataka and 14% in south-interior Karnataka.