ANANTAPUR: After Kurnool and Kadapa, now it is the turn of Anantapur district, to experience heavy rain and floods. The Rayalaseema region has been experiencing heavy rain for the past one week.
Though normal life was hit due to incessant rain since Saturday night, people, especially groundnut farmers of the drought-prone districts, are a happy lot, as they are getting water for their crops which are on the verge of withering.
Following heavy rain, several streams and minor rivers are in spate, while several tanks are brimming with water. Chitravati, Hagari, Vedavati and other rivers, which normally appear dry, are now flowing with water.
According to revenue officials, the average rainfall received in the district since Saturday night was 28.6 mm, while the highest rainfall of 8.4 cm was received in Dharmavaram. In all 50 mandals, the district received rain above 10 mm, while eight mandals received rains between 5 mm and 10 mm.
However, officials said that despite rain in the last one week, the district is still facing deficit rainfall. Normally by this time 296.3 mm rainfall should have been received in the district since the start of June.
But only 251.6 mm rainfall has been received so far. In August, against the normal rainfall of 76.3 mm, only 66.1 mm rain was recorded and in September as against 76.3 mm, 114 mm rain was received.
Rain exposes poor drainage system
Sunday rain exposed the loopholes in the drainage system in Anantapur city, where several low-lying areas like Anantha Sagar Colony, Chandrababu Kottala, Zakir Kottala and Ramakrishna Colony were inundated in rainwater.
Farmers’ hopes rekindled
Hopes of groundnut farmers were rekindled with the latest spell of rains and they hope they might not have to lose the crop they cultivated and go for contingency crops. However, most farmers have already started cultivating contingency crops.