HYDERABAD: Telangana would be ending the southwest monsoon season on a ‘normal’ note this year. On Sunday, a day before the monsoon season (June 1 - September 30) comes to an end, the average rainfall in the state was 795 mm according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), which is five per cent above the normal value of 754.4 mm. As per IMD, if the rainfall is 19 per cent less or above the normal value, it is considered as normal.
Last year, the State had recorded 742.4 mm rainfall during the monsoon. Although it is close to the rainfall recorded this year, nine districts had received deficient rains in 2018, including Hyderabad, which received 29 per cent below normal rainfall and Sangareddy, where it was as much as 44 per cent below normal.
This year, Hyderabad, which witnessed the wrath of heavy rains over the last few days, recorded 699.7 mm rainfall — 13 per cent above normal. Across the State, Warangal (urban) district recorded the highest surplus rainfall, as it received 38 per cent above normal rains, at 915 mm. Only three districts — Sangareddy, Vikarabad and Gadwal — recorded deficient rainfall this year and five districts — Asifabad, Nizamabad, Sircilla, Karimnagar and Warangal — recorded excess rains.
Although the Southwest monsoon season ends on Monday, rains are expected to continue in the State. According to the IMD forecast, a ‘weak’ monsoon continues in Telangana, and light to moderate rains or thundershowers are expected to occur at a few places across the State, over the next few days.
On Sunday, many parts of the city received light to moderate rainfall. However, Keesara under the Kapra circle of GHMC received as much as 65 mm rainfall.
Not surprisingly, this year, the State witnessed record sowing of paddy in the Kharif season. According to the latest report of the agriculture department, paddy has been sown over 1.25 lakh hectares (lh) in the State as compared to last year’s 1.03 lh. The total cropped area this year stands at 4.41 lh, as against last year’s 4.14 lh.
Shaikpet Mandal wettest in the city
According to the Telangana State Development Planning Society’s (TSDPS) data, Shaikpet Mandal received the highest rainfall at 793.8 mm in the Greater Hyderabad region, 49 per cent above normal, followed by Kapra at 690.6 mm, 41 per cent above normal. Malkajgiri, where the NDRF was deployed on Friday, received just eight per cent above normal at 675 mm