Dry spell to continue for most parts of A.P. until July 30; overall deficit reaches 53.3%

Even as a few stations in Andhra Pradesh received light showers on July 22 and 23, they have had little impact on the overall deficit in the State, which has now climbed to 53.3%.

According to the Directorate of Economics and Statistics (DES), except for SPSR Nellore district, all the other 27 districts have reported deficient rainfall as of July 23.

Grim situation

The situation is grim in the districts of Visakhapatnam, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema, East and West Godavari, Prakasam, Annamayya and YSR Kadapa, where the deficit percentages are between 60% and 76%, considered large deficient. The sharpest rainfall gap is seen in West Godavari district, where the deficit percent has soared to 76.8.

This is because the State has received only 104.1 mm rainfall as against the normal of 223 mm from June 1 till date. While the State received about-normal rainfall in June, it remained parched in the first three weeks of July as it received only 31.4 mm as against the normal of 125.7 mm.

Out of 688 mandals in the State, only two (both in Nellore district) received large excess, 13 received excess and 74 received normal rainfall between June 1 and July 23. Among the remaining, 240 mandals fall under ‘large deficient’ category and 359 are deficient.

Light showers likely

The India Meteorological Department (IMD), Amaravati, has forecast isolated light to moderate showers (one or two places) in each of the three regions, North and South Coastal A.P. and Rayalaseema until July 30, while thunderstorms and strong winds may prevail on July 24 and 25 in all the three regions.

On Thursday, Vakalapudi in Kakinada district received the maximum of 14.62 mm between 8.30 a.m. and 8 p.m. Other places in NTR, Visakhapatnam, Guntur, Kurnool, and Anantapur districts received light showers.